Livorno

For the football club, see A.S. Livorno Calcio.
Livorno
—  Comune  —
Comune di Livorno
View of Venice district
Livorno is located in Italy
Livorno
Location of Livorno in Italy
Coordinates:
Country Italy
Region Tuscany
Province Livorno (LI)
Frazioni Castellaccio, Gorgona, Limoncino, Quercianella, Valle Benedetta
Government
 - Mayor Alessandro Cosimi
Area
 - Total 104.8 km2 (40.5 sq mi)
Elevation 3 m (10 ft)
Population (21 December 2009)
 - Total 160,931
 - Density 1,535.6/km2 (3,977.2/sq mi)
Demonym Livornesi, also Labronici
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 57100
Dialing code 0586
Patron saint Santa Giulia da Corsica
Saint day May 22
Website Official website

Livorno listen, traditionally called Leghorn (pronounced "Leggun") in English, is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009. The third-largest port on the western coast of Italy, Livorno supports substantial cruise-ship tourism to Florence and other destinations in Tuscany and Umbria.

Contents

History

Fortifications of Livorno in the 17th century.

Livorno was defined as an "ideal town" during the Italian Renaissance. Today, it reveals its history through the structure of its neighbourhoods, crossed by canals and surrounded by fortified town walls, through the tangle of its streets, which embroider the town's Venice district, and through the Medici Port characteristically overlooked by towers and fortresses leading to the town centre. Designed by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti at the end of the 16th century, Livorno underwent a period of great town planning expansion at the end of the 17th century. Near the defensive pile of the Old Fortress, a new fortress, together with the town-walls and the system of navigable canals, was then built.

In the late 1580s, Ferdinando I of Tuscany declared Livorno a porto Franco, which meant that the goods traded here were duty free. The Leggi Livornine were laws in force between 1590 and 1603. These laws helped the trading activities of the merchant, freedom of religion and amnesty for some penance. Thanks to these laws, Livorno became a cosmopolitan city and one of the most important ports of the entire Mediterranean area. Many foreigners moved to Livorno; Armenians, Dutch, English, Greeks and Jews were among those who relocated to live and trade. Much later, during the 18th century, some Moriscos (Muslim Spaniards forcibly converted to Catholicism) also moved to Livorno from Spain. On 19 March 1606, the Granduca di Toscana Ferdinando I de' Medici, in the Fortezza Vecchia Chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi elevated Livorno to the rank of city.

During the Napoleonic Wars, trade with Britain was prohibited and the economy of Livorno suffered greatly. Then, in 1868, after Livorno became part of the new Kingdom of Italy, it lost its status of a free port and the city's importance declined.

Main sights

Piazza Grande in the 19th century: at left, the Palazzo del Governatore, at right the Dogana

The Venice district retains much of its original town planning and architectural features such as the bridges, narrow lanes, the noblemen's houses and a dense network of canals which once linked the port to its storehouses. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Livorno, by then grown up and open to the world, had a lively appearance marked by neo-classical buildings, public parks housing important museums and cultural institutions, "Liberty" villas with sea views and the market.

The Museo Mascagnano houses memorabilia, documents and operas by the great composer Pietro Mascagni. Every year some of his operas are traditionally played during the lyric music season, which is organised by the Traditional Theatre of Livorno. Also the “Terrazza Mascagni”, a walkway divided from the sea by a handrail, is named in honor to Pietro Mascagni.

Up in the hills the Sanctuary of Montenero, which is dedicated to Our Lady of the Graces, the patron saint of Tuscany, is a fixed destination for pilgrims. It is famous for the adjacent gallery, decorated with ex-voti mainly connected to stories of miraculous sea rescue.

The "Monumento dei quattro mori" ("Monument of the Four Moors"), dedicated to Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici of Tuscany, is one of the most important monuments of Livorno. An important square, the Piazza della Repubblica, contains two important monuments of Italian politicians. The square is also a bridge, under which there lies a large canal.

Another important monument is an old red-brick fortress which, in Medici times, defended the city from attack by pirates. Its three bastions are named “Capitana”, “Ampolletta” and “Canaviglia”. The original fortress was built before the Renaissance. A later one was constructed at the end of the 16th century.

Culture

Politically, Livorno is one of the most left-leaning cities of Italy. The Communist Party of Italy was founded in Livorno on 21 January 1921.

The leghorn variety of chicken was named after the city. This in turn gave its name to the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn. The city also lent its name to a kind of fine plaited straw produced there and, by extension, to the leghorn hats made from the material.

Economy

Tuaca liqueur is produced in Livorno as is Galliano. The city also has a substantial petrochemical industry. The port is the focus of a substantial tourism industry in which thousands of cruise-ship passengers are transported by fleets of buses to inland destinations, notably to Florence. However, since the beginning of XX century Livorno has been more famous for the Orlando Shipyard, where most famously in 1911 the battleship "Georgios Averof" , the flagship of the Greek Navy during its victorious battles against Turks in the Balkan Wars and World War One was built.

Transportation

Airport

The nearest airport is the main airport of Tuscany, Galileo Galilei Airport, which is about twenty kilometers away.

Trains

The city is served by Livorno Centrale station.

Sport

Livorno has a football team in Serie B, A.S. Livorno Calcio.

Dialect

Livorno inhabitants speak a variant of the Italian Tuscan dialect, named vernacolo. There is a satirical comic-style magazine printed mainly in the Livornese dialect, called Il Vernacoliere.

Twin towns—sister cities

Livorno is twinned with:

Notable people

Points of interest

See also

Images

Fosso Reale

View of Livorno

Old Fortress

New Fortress

Duomo of Livorno

Castle of Baron Sidney Sonnino

Monumento dei Quattro Mori

Piazza della Repubblica

External links

Tuscany · Comuni of the Province of Livorno
Bibbona · Campiglia Marittima · Campo nell'Elba · Capoliveri · Capraia Isola · Castagneto Carducci · Cecina · Collesalvetti · Livorno · Marciana · Marciana Marina · Piombino · Porto Azzurro · Portoferraio · Rio Marina · Rio nell'Elba · Rosignano Marittimo · San Vincenzo · Sassetta · Suvereto