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Livorno () is a port city on the
Ligurian Sea The Ligurian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the Italian Riviera ( Liguria) and the island of Corsica. The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient Ligures people. Geography The sea borders Italy as far as ...
on the western coast of the
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
region of
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It is the capital of the
Province of Livorno The province of Livorno () or, traditionally, province of Leghorn, is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the city of Liv ...
, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronounced , "Leghorn"
in the
Oxford Dictionaries Online ''Lexico'' was a dictionary website that provided a collection of English and Spanish dictionaries produced by Oxford University Press (OUP), the publishing house of the University of Oxford. While the dictionary content on ''Lexico'' came from ...
.
or ). During the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
, Livorno was designed as an "
ideal town In urban design, an ideal city is the concept of a City planning, plan for a city that has been conceived in accordance with a particular rational or moral objective. Concept The "ideal" nature of such a city may encompass the moral, Spiritua ...
". Developing considerably from the second half of the
16th century The 16th century began with the Julian calendar, Julian year 1501 (represented by the Roman numerals MDI) and ended with either the Julian or the Gregorian calendar, Gregorian year 1600 (MDC), depending on the reckoning used (the Gregorian calend ...
by the will of the
House of Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...
, Livorno was an important
free port A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to ...
. Its intense commercial activity was largely dominated by foreign traders. Also the seat of consulates and shipping companies, it became the main port-city of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
. The high status of a multiethnic and multicultural Livorno lasted until the second half of the nineteenth century, when it was surpassed by other cities. Evidence of that prosperous time can be seen in the many churches, villas, and palaces of the city. Livorno is considered to be the most modern among all the Tuscan cities, and is the third most-populous of the region, after
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
and
Prato Prato ( ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') in Tuscany, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Prato. The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of , at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana ch ...
.


History


Origins

The origins of Livorno are controversial, although the place was inhabited since the
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
Age. This is documented by the worked bones, and pieces of copper and ceramic found on the
Livorno Hills The Livorno Hills (also known as Leghorn Hills, or in Italian as the Colline Livornesi) is a mountain range, hill range in Tuscany, included in the municipalities of Livorno, Collesalvetti and Rosignano Marittimo, and in the Province of Livorno. ...
in a cave between Ardenza and Montenero. The
Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...
settlement was called Labro. The construction of the
Via Aurelia The Via Aurelia () is a Roman road in Italy constructed in approximately 241 BC. The project was undertaken by Gaius Aurelius Cotta, who at that time was censor.Hornblower, Simon, & Antony Spawforth. ''The Oxford Classical Dictionary.'' 3rd ...
coincided with the occupation of the region by the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
. They are also known for their
toponyms Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for a proper nam ...
and the ruins of towers. The natural cove called Liburna is a reference to the type of ship, the
liburna A liburna was a type of small galley used for raiding and patrols. Originally utilized by the Liburnians, a pirate tribe from Dalmatia, it later became a staple of the Roman navy.. History A stone tablet (''Stele di Novilara'') discovered nea ...
, adopted by
Roman navy The naval forces of the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman state () were instrumental in the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean Basin, but it never enjoyed the prestige of the Roman legions. Throughout their history, the Romans remained a primarily land ...
from the
Liburnians The Liburnians or Liburni () were an ancient tribe inhabiting the district called Liburnia, a coastal region of the northeastern Adriatic between the rivers ''Arsia'' ( Raša) and ''Titius'' ( Krka) in what is now Croatia. According to Strabo ...
. Other ancient toponyms include ''Salviano'' (Salvius) and ''Antignano'' (Ante ignem), which was the place situated before ''Ardenza'' (Ardentia), where beacons directed the ships to Porto Pisano.
Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...
mentioned Liburna in a letter to his brother, in which he called it Labrone.


Medieval

Livorna is mentioned for the first time in 1017 as a small coastal village, the port and the remains of a Roman tower under the rule of
Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
. In 1077, a tower was built by
Matilda of Tuscany Matilda of Tuscany (; or ; – 24 July 1115), or Matilda of Canossa ( ), also referred to as ("the Great Countess"), was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as the Attonids) in the second half of the eleventh century. Matilda was on ...
. The
Republic of Pisa The Republic of Pisa () was an independent state existing from the 11th to the 15th century centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian t ...
owned Livorna from 1103 and built a quadrangular fort called ''Quadratura dei Pisani'' ("Quarter of the Pisans") to defend the port. ''Porto Pisano'' was destroyed after the crushing defeat of the Pisan fleet in the
Battle of Meloria The Battle of Meloria was fought near the islet of Meloria in the Ligurian Sea on 5 and 6 August 1284 between the fleets of the Republics of Genoa and Pisa as part of the Genoese-Pisan War. The victory of Genoa and the destruction of the Pisa ...
in 1284. In 1399, Pisa sold Livorna to the
Visconti of Milan The Visconti of Milan are a noble Italian family. They rose to power in Milan during the Middle Ages where they ruled from 1277 to 1447, initially as Lords then as Dukes, and several collateral branches still exist. The effective founder of the V ...
; in 1405 it was sold to the
Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
; and on 28 August 1421 it was bought by the
Republic of Florence The Republic of Florence (; Old Italian: ), known officially as the Florentine Republic, was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany, Italy. The republic originated in 1115, when the Flor ...
. The name 'Leghorn' was derived from the Genoese name Ligorna.Si veda in proposito G. Ciccone, ''Livorno: il mistero del nome'', in "Il Pentagono", n. 11, novembre 2009. ''Livorno'' was used certainly in the eighteenth century by Florentines. Between 1427 and 1429, a census counted 118 families in Livorno, including 423 persons. Monks, Jews, military personnel, and the homeless were not included in the census. The only remainder of medieval Livorno is a fragment of two towers and a wall, located inside the
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
.


Medicean period (1500–1650)

After the arrival of the
Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...
, the ruling dynasty of Florence, some modifications were made in the city. Between 1518 and 1534 the ''
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
'' was constructed, and the voluntary resettlement of the population to Livorno was stimulated. Livorno still remained a rather insignificant coastal fortress. By 1551, the population had grown to 1562 residents. Seat of the crusading and corsairing
Order of Saint Stephen The Order of Saint Stephen (officially ''Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire'', 'Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr') is a Roman Catholic Tuscan dynastic military order founded in 1561. The order was created ...
after 1561, distinctive for its aggressive approach towards the Muslim world, Livorno became a major Mediterranean
slave trade Slave trade may refer to: * History of slavery - overview of slavery It may also refer to slave trades in specific countries, areas: * Al-Andalus slave trade * Atlantic slave trade ** Brazilian slave trade ** Bristol slave trade ** Danish sl ...
hub in the early modern period, rivalling Malta's. Its share of slave population may have been over a 25% of the population. During the
Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...
, when the settlement was ruled by the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
of the
House of Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...
, Livorno was designed as an "
Ideal town In urban design, an ideal city is the concept of a City planning, plan for a city that has been conceived in accordance with a particular rational or moral objective. Concept The "ideal" nature of such a city may encompass the moral, Spiritua ...
". In 1577 the architect
Bernardo Buontalenti Bernardo Timante Buonacorsi ( – June 1608), known as Bernardo Buontalenti () and sometimes by the nickname "Bernardo delle Girandole", was an Italian Scenic design, stage designer, architect, theatrical designer, Military engineering, military ...
drew up the first plan. The new fortified town had a
pentagonal In geometry, a pentagon () is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. A self-intersecting ''regular pentagon'' (or ''star pentagon'') is cal ...
design, for which it is called '' Pentagono del Buontalenti'', incorporating the original settlement. The '' Porto Mediceo'' was overlooked and defended by
tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
s and fortresses leading to the
town centre A town centre is the commerce, commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town. Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train ...
. In the late 1580s,
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
, declared Livorno a
free port A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to ...
(''porto franco''), which meant that the goods traded here were
duty-free A duty-free shop or store is a retail outlet whose goods are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country, who will ...
within the area of the town's control. In 1593, the Duke's administration established the ''Leggi Livornine'' to regulate trade. These laws protected merchant activities from crime and
racketeering Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercion, coercive, fraud, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. ...
, and instituted laws regarding
international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (See: World economy.) In most countries, such trade represents a significan ...
. The laws established a well-regulated market and were in force until 1603. Also expanding Christian tolerance, the laws offered the right of public
freedom of religion Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...
and
amnesty Amnesty () is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power officially forgiving certain classes of people who are subject to trial but have not yet be ...
to people having to gain
penance Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of contrition for sins committed, as well as an alternative name for the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. The word ''penance'' derive ...
from clergy in order to conduct civil business. The Grand Duke attracted numerous Turks, Persians, Moors, Greeks, and Armenians, along with
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
immigrants. Sephardic Jews began to immigrate to Livorno in the late sixteenth century, following the
Alhambra Decree The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Decreto de la Alhambra'', ''Edicto de Granada'') was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdi ...
and expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal. Livorno extended rights and privileges to them, and they contributed greatly to the mercantile wealth and scholarship in the city. Livorno became an enlightened European city and one of the most important ports of the entire Mediterranean Basin. Many European foreigners moved to Livorno. These included Christian Protestant reformers who supported such leaders as
Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
,
John Calvin John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
, and others.
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
,
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
, and English arrived, along with Orthodox
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
. Meanwhile, Jews continued to trade under their previous treaties with the Grand Duke. On 19 March 1606, Ferdinando I de' Medici elevated Livorno to the rank of city; the ceremony was held in the ''Fortezza Vecchia'' Chapel of
Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
. The
Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
increased tensions among Christians; dissidents to the
Papacy The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
were targeted by various Catholic absolute rulers. Livorno's tolerance declined during the
European wars of religion The European wars of religion were a series of wars waged in Europe during the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries. Fought after the Protestant Reformation began in 1517, the wars disrupted the religious and political order in the Catholic Chu ...
. But, in the preceding period, the merchants of Livorno had developed a series of trading networks with Protestant Europe, and the Dutch, British, and Germans worked to retain these. In 1653 a naval battle, the
Battle of Leghorn The naval Battle of Leghorn took place on 4 March 1653 (14 March Gregorian calendar), during the First Anglo-Dutch War, near Leghorn (Livorno), Italy. It was a victory of a Dutch Republic, Dutch squadron under Commodore (rank), Commodore Johan ...
, was fought near Livorno during the
First Anglo-Dutch War The First Anglo-Dutch War, or First Dutch War, was a naval conflict between the Commonwealth of England and the Dutch Republic. Largely caused by disputes over trade, it began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but expanded to vast ...
.


17th century and later

At the end of the 17th century, Livorno underwent a period of great
urban planning Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
and expansion. Near the defensive pile of the Old Fortress, a new fortress was built, together with the town walls and the system of navigable canals through neighbourhoods. After the port of
Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
had silted up in the 13th century, its distance from the sea increased and it lost its dominance in trade. Livorno took over as the main port in
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
. By 1745 Livorno's population had risen to 32,534. The more successful of the European powers re-established trading houses in the region, especially the British with the
Levant Company The Levant Company was an English chartered company formed in 1592. Elizabeth I of England approved its initial charter on 11 September 1592 when the Venice Company (1583) and the Turkey Company (1581) merged, because their charters had expired, ...
. In turn, the trading networks grew, and with those, Britain's cultural contact with Tuscany. An increasing number of British writers, artists, philosophers, and travellers visited the area and developed the unique historical ties between the two communities. The British referred to the city in English as "Leghorn", derived from the Genoese term. Through the centuries, the city's trade fortunes fell and rose according to the success or failure of the Great Powers. The British and their Protestant allies were important to its trade. During the
Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars The Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1801) were a series of conflicts fought principally in Northern Italy between the French Revolutionary Army and a Coalition of Austria, Russia, Piedmont-Sardinia, and a number o ...
of the late eighteenth century, Napoleon's troops occupied Livorno along with the rest of Tuscany. Under the
Continental System The Continental System or Continental Blockade () was a large-scale embargo by French emperor Napoleon I against the British Empire from 21 November 1806 until 11 April 1814, during the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon issued the Berlin Decree on 21 No ...
, the French prohibited trade with Britain, and the economy of Livorno suffered greatly. The French had altogether taken over Tuscany by 1808, incorporating it into the Napoleonic empire. After the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
, Austrian rule replaced the French. In 1861,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
succeeded in its wars of unification. At that time the city counted 96,471 inhabitants. Livorno and
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
became part of the new
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
and, as part of the Kingdom, the town lost its status as a free port. The city's commercial importance declined. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Livorno had numerous
public park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a city park, municipal park (North America), public park, public open space, or municipal gardens (United Kingdom, UK), is a park or botanical garden in cities, densely populated suburbia and oth ...
s housing important museums such as the '' Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori'', '' Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo'', and
cultural institution A cultural institution or cultural organization is an organization within a culture or subculture that works for the Preservation (library and archive), preservation or promotion of culture. The term is especially used of public and charitable org ...
s as the '' Biblioteca Labronica F.D. Guerrazzi'' and others in
Neoclassical style Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassici ...
as '' Cisternone'', ''Teatro Goldoni'' and
Liberty style Liberty style ( ) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ("floral style"), ("new art"), or ("modern style" not to be confused with the Spanish variant of Art Nouveau ...
as ''Palazzo Corallo'', '' Mercato delle Vettovaglie'', '' Stabilimento termale Acque della Salute'', the '' Scuole elementari Benci'' all the last on project by Angiolo Badaloni. In the early 19th century, the American
Elizabeth Ann Seton Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (August 28, 1774 – January 4, 1821) was an American Catholic Church, Catholic religious and educator, known as a founder of the country's parochial school system. Born in New York and reared as an Episcopalian, she ...
converted from Protestantism to Catholicism while visiting Italian friends in Livorno. She later was canonized as the first American-born saint. During the 1930s, numerous
villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...
s were built on the avenue along the sea in
Liberty style Liberty style ( ) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ("floral style"), ("new art"), or ("modern style" not to be confused with the Spanish variant of Art Nouveau ...
based on designs by Cioni. These added to the architectural richness of the city. Livorno suffered extensive damage during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Many historic sites and buildings were destroyed by bombs of the
Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
preceding their invasion of Italy, including the
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
and
Synagogue of Livorno The New Synagogue of Livorno, or Great Synagogue of Livorno (), is a Judaism, Jewish congregation and synagogue, that is located at Piazza Benamozegh 1, in Livorno, in Tuscany, Italy. Designed in the Modernist architecture, Modernist style, th ...
. Since the late 20th century, Livorno's residents have become well known for their
left-wing politics Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...
. The
Italian Communist Party The Italian Communist Party (, PCI) was a communist and democratic socialist political party in Italy. It was established in Livorno as the Communist Party of Italy (, PCd'I) on 21 January 1921, when it seceded from the Italian Socialist Part ...
was founded in Livorno in 1921.


Climate

Livorno has a hot-summer
mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Csa''). Summers have warm days with the heat lingering on throughout the night, hence going above the
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
threshold in spite of its relatively high latitude. Winters are mild for the latitude due to the moderating influence from the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
. Precipitation is in a wet winter/dry summer pattern as with all climates fitting the Mediterranean definition.


Population


Foreigner minorities


Armenian community

Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
issued in 1591 a decree encouraging
Armenians Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...
to settle in Livorno to increase its trade with the Ottoman Empire and western Asia. By the beginning of the 17th century, Armenians operated 120 shops in town. In 1701 the Armenian community, who were members of the
Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...
, were authorized to build their own church, which they dedicated to
Gregory the Illuminator Gregory the Illuminator ( – ) was the founder and first official Catholicos of All Armenians, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He Christianization of Armenia, converted Armenia from Zoroastrianism in Armenia, Zoroastrianism to Chris ...
. The project was by
Giovanni Battista Foggini Giovanni Battista (Giambattista) Foggini (25 April 1652 – 12 April 1725) was an Italian sculptor active in Florence, renowned mainly for small bronze statuary. Biography Born in Florence, the young Foggini was sent to Rome by the Medici Gra ...
and the church was completed a few years later but did not open for worship until 1714. The church had a Latin cross plant and a dome at the intersection of the transept and nave. Destroyed during World War II, it was partly restored in 2008 but is not open to worship.


Greek community

The first
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
who settled in Livorno early in the 16th century were former mercenaries in the fleet of
Cosimo de' Medici Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici (27 September 1389 – 1 August 1464) was an Italian banker and politician who established the House of Medici, Medici family as effective rulers of Florence during much of the Italian Renaissance. His power derive ...
and their descendants. This community grew and became significant in the 18th and 19th centuries when Livorno became one of the principal hubs of the Mediterranean trade. Most of the new Greek immigrants came from western Greece,
Chios Chios (; , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greece, Greek list of islands of Greece, island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, tenth largest island in the Medi ...
,
Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...
and
Cappadocia Cappadocia (; , from ) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Today, the touristic Cappadocia Region is located in Nevşehir ...
. Based on its status since the late 16th century as a
free port A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to ...
(''port franc'') and the warehouses constructed for long-term storage of goods and grains from the
Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
, until the late 19th century Livorno enjoyed a strong strategic position related to Greek mercantile interests in the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
, the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
, and the North Atlantic. The conflicts between Great Britain and France during the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
of the early 19th century, with associated port embargoes, piracy, and confiscation of cargoes, played out to the advantage of those Greek merchants willing to accept risk. By the 1820s, Greek entrepreneurs gradually replaced the Protestant British, Dutch, French and other merchants who left the city. The Greeks concentrated on the grain market, banking and ship-brokering. Cargoes of wheat from the Black Sea were received at Livorno, before being re-shipped to England. Returning ships carried textiles and other industrial goods, which Greek merchants shipped to
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
and other destinations in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. Chians controlled much of the trade. In 1839 Livorno had ten major commercial houses, led primarily by ethnic Greeks and Jewish Italians. The ethnic Greek community () had a distinctive cultural and social identity based on their common Greek Orthodox religion, language and history. In 1775 they established the Confraternity of Holy Trinity () and the , the second non-Catholic church in Tuscany. The Armenians had earlier built their own Orthodox church. The community founded a Greek school, awarding scholarships for higher studies to young Greeks from the
Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...
, Epirus, Chios or
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...
. The community raised funds to support the
Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
of 1821, as well as various Greek communities in the Ottoman Empire and in Italy. It also assisted non-Greeks. The Rodocanachi family financed the "School of Mutual Education" established in Livorno by the pedagogist . The community contributed to founding a school for poor Catholic children. The local governing authorities recognized the contributions of distinguished members of the Greek community (e.g. members of the Papoudoff, Maurogordatos, Rodocanachi, and other families) and granted them titles of nobility. After unification and the founding of the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
in 1861, the Greek community in Livorno declined, as the privileges of the free port were rescinded.


Jewish community

See the
history of the Jews in Livorno The history of the Jews in Livorno (; or ), Italy, has been documented since 1583, when descendants of the late 15th-century and early 16th-century Expulsion of Jews from Spain, expulsions from Spain and Portugal settled in the city. They were ...
.


Dialects

;Vernacolo Livorno inhabitants speak a variant of the Italian
Tuscan dialect Tuscan ( ; ) is a set of Italo-Dalmatian varieties of Romance spoken in Tuscany, Corsica, and Sardinia. Standard Italian is based on Tuscan, specifically on its Florentine dialect, and it became the language of culture throughout Italy be ...
, known as a '' vernacolo''. '' Il Vernacoliere'', a satirical comic-style magazine printed chiefly in the Livornese dialect, was founded in 1982 and is now nationally distributed. ;Bagitto The ''
bagitto Judeo-Livornese or Bagitto ( or ) is an extinct dialect of the Judeo-Italian languages, historically spoken by the Jewish community in and around Livorno. It was heavily influenced by Judeo-Portuguese and Ladino. It is best attested through the ...
'' was a Judæo-Italian regional dialect once used by the Jewish community in Livorno. It was a language based on Italian, developed with words coming from Tuscan, Spanish, Portuguese,
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
and
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
; the presence of Portuguese and Spanish words is due to the origin of the first Jews who came to Livorno, having been expelled from the Iberian peninsula in the late 15th century.


Economy


Port of Livorno

The city and its
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
have continued as an important destination for travelers and tourists attracted to its historic buildings and setting. The port processes thousands of cruise-ship passengers of the following
cruise line A cruise line is a company (law), company that operates cruise ships that operate on Cruising (maritime), ocean or River cruise, rivers and which markets cruises to the public. Cruise lines are distinct from Passenger ship, passenger lines whic ...
: *
AIDA Cruises AIDA Cruises is a German cruise line founded in the early 1960s and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Costa Crociere S.p.A., which in turn belongs to Carnival Corporation & plc. Based in Rostock, Germany, AIDA Cruises caters primaril ...
* Azamara Club Cruises *
Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Cruise Line is an international cruise line with headquarters in Doral, Florida. The company is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Its logo is a funnel shaped like a whale's tail, with a red, white, and blue color scheme. This ...
*
Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in ...
*
Costa Crociere Società per Azioni, S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1948 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily caters to ...
*
Cunard Line The Cunard Line ( ) is a British shipping and an international cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its four ships have been r ...
*
Holland America Line Holland America Line N.V. (HAL) is an American cruise line operating as a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Founded in 1873 in Rotterdam, Netherlands as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company (NASM), the company operated regular trans ...
*
MSC Cruises MSC Cruises () is a Swiss-Italian global cruise line based in Geneva, with operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice. It was founded in 1988 in Naples, Italy, as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). In addition to being the wor ...
*
Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is an American cruise line founded in Norway in 1966, headquartered in Miami, Florida, and incorporated in the Bahamas. It is the List of cruise lines, fourth-largest cruise line in the world by passengers, controlling ...
*
P&O Cruises P&O Cruises is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival Corporation & plc#Carnival UK, Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. It was originally a subsidiary of the freight transp ...
*
Princess Cruises Princess Cruises is an American cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The company headquarters are in Santa Clarita, California and is incorporated in Bermuda. As of 2025, it is the List of cruise lines#List of cruise lines by size, s ...
*
Pullmantur Cruises Pullmantur Cruises was a cruise line headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. In 2006, Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by U ...
*
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a cruise holding company based in Miami, Florida, United States and incorporated in Liberia. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corpor ...
*
Silversea Cruises Silversea is an luxury cruise line and expedition travel brand headquartered in Monaco. Founded in 1994 by the Vlasov Group of Monaco and the Lefebvre family of Rome, it pioneered all-inclusive cruising with its first ship, ''Silver Cloud''. Si ...
*
Thomson Cruises Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) is a British cruise line operated by TUI UK, offering cruise holidays around Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. History The company had initially entered the cruise market in 1973, but due to rising fue ...
*
Viking Ocean Cruises Viking (formerly Viking Cruises) is a cruise line providing river, ocean, and expedition cruises. Its operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland,Adam H. Graham"The Rising Tide: How Viking Changed Cruising" '' Departures'', 21 November 201 ...
many of whom take arranged buses to inland destinations as
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
,
Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
and
Siena Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
.


''Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando''

Since 1866 Livorno has been noted for its
Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando (Orlando Brothers Shipyard) is a historical Italian shipyard in Livorno. History It was founded by Luigi Orlando and his brothers Giuseppe, Paolo and Salvatore who moved to Livorno from Genoa where in 1858 they h ...
. Azimut-
Benetti Benetti is an Italian shipbuilding and boat building company based in Viareggio, Livorno, and Fano, owned by Azimut Benetti S.p.A. Benetti designs and constructs motoryachts, and is one of the leading builders of custom superyachts, havin ...
acquired the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando, then of
Fincantieri Fincantieri S.p.A. () is an Italian shipbuilding company based in Trieste, Italy. Already the largest shipbuilder in Europe, after the acquisition of Vard in 2013, Fincantieri group doubled in size to become the fourth largest in the world (2014 ...
, in 2003.


Eni petrochemical

The
Eni Eni is an Italian oil and gas corporation. Eni or ENI may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Escuela Nacional de Inteligencia, the Argentine intelligence academy * Groupe des écoles nationales d’ingénieurs (Groupe ENI), a French engi ...
plant produces
gasoline Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...
,
diesel fuel Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a re ...
,
fuel oil Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum (crude oil). Such oils include distillates (the lighter fractions) and residues (the heavier fractions). Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil (bunker fuel), marine f ...
and
lubricant A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, ...
s. Livorno refinery was established in 1936 by Azienda Nazionale Idrogenazione Combustibili (ANIC) but the plant was completely destroyed during World War II. The plant was rebuilt thanks to an agreement between the ANIC and the
Standard Oil Standard Oil Company was a Trust (business), corporate trust in the petroleum industry that existed from 1882 to 1911. The origins of the trust lay in the operations of the Standard Oil of Ohio, Standard Oil Company (Ohio), which had been founde ...
forming the STANIC. The production of the new plant raised from 700,000 to 2 million tons in 1955; nowadays the capacity of refining is 84,000
barrels A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids ...
per day. The refinery, now property of
Eni Eni is an Italian oil and gas corporation. Eni or ENI may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Escuela Nacional de Inteligencia, the Argentine intelligence academy * Groupe des écoles nationales d’ingénieurs (Groupe ENI), a French engi ...
, is linked to the ''Darsena petroli'' (Oil dock) and to
Firenze Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
depots by two pipelines.


''Leonardo Sistemi di Difesa''

The former
Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei Leonardo Sistemi di Difesa is an Italian defense company which is part of the Leonardo (company), Leonardo conglomerate. The company specializes in the manufacture of naval weapon systems. The plant based in Livorno came about when the Whitehead To ...
(WASS) plant is based in Livorno, produced heavy and light
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
es, anti-torpedo countermeasure systems for submarines and ships and sonar systems for underwater surveillance. The factory came about in 1924 when the
Whitehead Torpedo Works Whitehead Torpedo Works was a company established in the 19th century by Robert Whitehead (engineer), Robert Whitehead that developed the Whitehead torpedo. It grew from its initial location at Fiume to Wyke Regis and to Livorno, but the former two ...
was purchased by Giuseppe Orlando, one of the owners of the ''
Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando (Orlando Brothers Shipyard) is a historical Italian shipyard in Livorno. History It was founded by Luigi Orlando and his brothers Giuseppe, Paolo and Salvatore who moved to Livorno from Genoa where in 1858 they h ...
'' of Livorno.
Whitehead Moto Fides Leonardo Sistemi di Difesa is an Italian defense company which is part of the Leonardo conglomerate. The company specializes in the manufacture of naval weapon systems. The plant based in Livorno came about when the Whitehead Torpedo Works was pur ...
continued the production of torpedoes in a new plant which opened in 1977 and still operating, now owned by
Leonardo S.p.A. Leonardo S.p.A., formerly Leonardo-Finmeccanica and originally Finmeccanica, is an Italian multinational company specialising in aerospace, defence and security. Headquartered in Rome, the company has 180 sites worldwide. It is the 12th largest ...
, renamed since 2018.


''Financial district''

Another important role is played by the financial service, concentrated above all in via Cairoli, called the small city of Livorno, in which the headquarters of banks, financial institutions and insurance companies are concentrated, as well as the Post Office Building.


''Tuaca''

''
Tuaca TUACA () is a naturally flavored brandy liqueur of Italian origin. Tuaca is a sweet golden brown blend of brandy, citrus and orange essences, vanilla, and other spices added. It is bottled at 35% ABV (70 proof). Tuaca's mild, sweet flavour make ...
'' liqueur was produced in Livorno until 2010; the famous distillery was closed and operations were brought to the United States by the new owners. Galliano is still made here and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.


Government


Main sights


''Acquario comunale "Diacinto Cestoni"''

Livorno Aquarium, dedicated to
Diacinto Cestoni Diacinto (or Giacinto) Cestoni (May 13, 1637 – January 29, 1718) was an Italian naturalist, biologist, botanist, entomologist. Born in Montegiorgio, he was self-taught. He lived and worked at Livorno where he led an apothecary next to the por ...
, is the main in Tuscany. It is situated by '' Terrazza Mascagni'' on the seafront promenade. It was built on a project by Enrico Salvais and Luigi Pastore as a heliotherapy centre and was opened to the public on 20 June 1937. Destroyed during World War II was rebuilt in 1950; in 1999 underwent extensive reconstruction, on a plan by Studio Gregotti and works carried out by Opera Laboratori Fiorentini, was opened definitely on 31 July 2010. On the ground floor, the exhibition includes: Diacinto Cestoni Room which consists of 12 exhibition tanks, Mediterranean Area, Indus-Pacific tank, Caribbean Sea, Ligurian coast, Tropical waters, Greek-Roman archaeological coastal area. Livorno Aquarium has 33 exhibition tanks containing 2000 animals of 300 different species.


Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori

Dedicated to painter
Giovanni Fattori Giovanni Fattori (September 6, 1825August 30, 1908) was an Italian artist, one of the leaders of the group known as the Macchiaioli. He was initially a painter of historical themes and military subjects. In his middle years, inspired by the Bar ...
, the museum mainly featuring contemporary art from the 19th-century was inaugurated in 1994 and is placed inside ''Villa Mimbelli'', an 18th-century construction surrounded by a vast park. The origin of the museum dates back to 1877 when the
Comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
of Livorno founded a Civic Gallery where to collect all the artistic objects kept in several places around the town; in the same period was written the guideline of the gallery which hosted a collection of paintings of authors by Livorno.


''Museo Ebraico "Yeshivà Marini"''

The Yeshivà Marini Museum is housed in a neoclassical building already place of worship as Marini Oratory since 1867; once was home of the Confraternity Malbish Arumin which was provided to help the city's poor. In the post-war period was utilized as a synagogue in the waiting for the construction of the new one. The museum has a collection of liturgical objects coming from the old Synagogue destroyed in World War II. The commerce practised by the Jews community increased the property of the synagogue allowing a varied religious heritage of Dutch, Florentine, Venetian, Roman and Northern African origin. The display regard the
Torah ark A Torah ark (also known as the ''hekhal'', , or ''aron qodesh'', ) is an ornamental chamber in the synagogue that houses the Torah scrolls. History The ark is also known as the ''ark of law'', or in Hebrew the ''Aron Kodesh'' () or ''aron ha-Kod ...
, the
sefer Torah file:SeferTorah.jpg, A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema file:Köln-Tora-und-Innenansicht-Synagoge-Glockengasse-040.JPG, An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Inte ...
, paintings, religious objects as the Oriental-style wooden ''hekhal''; the oldest and most important pieces went lost.


''Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo''

The origins of the museum date back to 1929 and part of the objects went destroyed by World War II. After the war, the museum was reopened inside the Livorno Aquarium and only in 1980 was transferred to Villa Henderson. The museum is divided in several halls regarding the Man, the Man in the Mediterranean context, the Invertebrates, the Sea, the Flight in Nature. Inside the museum is a Planetarium and an Auditorium.


''Museo Mascagnano''

The ''Museo Mascagnano'' houses memorabilia, documents and operas by the great
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
, who lived here. Every year some of his operas are traditionally played during the lyric music season, which is organized by the
Goldoni Carlo Osvaldo Goldoni (, also , ; 25 February 1707 – 6 February 1793) was an Italian playwright and librettist from the Republic of Venice. His works include some of Italy's most famous and best-loved plays. Audiences have admired the plays ...
Theatre. Also the '' Terrazza Mascagni'' is situated on the boulevard on the seafront, is named in his honour.


''Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo''

The ''
Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo The Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the '' Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo'' at Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. It contains groupings of plants typical to various locations along the Mediterranean ...
'' is a
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
located on the grounds of the '' Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo''.


Points of interest


Civil architecture


''Venezia Nuova''

Ferdinando II de' Medici Ferdinando II de' Medici (14 July 1610 – 23 May 1670) was grand duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670. He was the eldest son of Cosimo II de' Medici and Maria Maddalena of Austria. Remembered by his contemporaries as a man of culture and scie ...
considered, in 1629, the opportunity to enlarge the town, on project by Giovanni Battista Santi, toward north in an area included among ''
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
'' and '' Fortezza Nuova'', in order to give an adequate space to the maritime and commercial activities. There was the need to build a mercantile district, close to '' Porto Mediceo'', provided with houses and depots to store the merchandise and a system of canals to facilitate their transport. The new ''
rione A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the title of (). Formed a ...
'' (district), called ', was built in an area gained to the sea, intersected by canals and linked to the town with bridges, for this reason, Venetians skilled workers were recruited. The ''Chiesa di Sant'Anna'', dedicated to
Saint Anne According to apocrypha, as well as Christianity, Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Joachim and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the Bible's Gosp ...
, was built in 1631 on the ground of the Arch confraternity of the Company of the Nativity; in the same year Giovanni Battista Santi died and the control of the project passed to Giovanni Francesco Cantagallina though the works slowed down due to the lack of funds. A new impulse to the works was given in 1656 concerning the distribution of the spaces where to build other houses and stores; consequently arose the problem of the diverse oriented road scheme with respect to the axis of ''Piazza d’Arme'', it was resolved by adopting a road plan perpendicular to the
Navicelli channel The Navicelli Channel is a channel built between 1563 and 1575 to connect Pisa with the port of Livorno. The name originates from the so-called ''navicelli'', small sized Tuscany, Tuscan boats that transported goods on the channel across the Pisan ...
. The paving of the roads and along the canals in ''Venezia Nuova'' was provided in 1668, while the ''Pescheria Nuova'' (New fish market) was built in 1705 close to the ''Scali del Pesce'' where the fish was unloaded. In the 1700s ''Venezia Nuova'' was the district of the Consuls of the Nations and of the most important international retailers who had the warehouses filled with goods from everywhere waiting to be shipped by sea to the most different destinations. The palaces along the canals had the turrets from which to see the ships approaching the port, moreover, they had the stores at the canal level to facilitate the unloading of the goods from the boats. The ''Venezia Nuova'' district retains much of its original town planning and architectural features such as the bridges, narrow
lane In road transport, a lane is part of a roadway that is designated to be used by a single line of vehicles to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts. Most public roads (highways) have at least two lanes, one for traffic in eac ...
s, the houses of the
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
, churches as Santa Caterina da Siena and
San Ferdinando San Ferdinando ( Calabrian: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a populat ...
, and a dense network of canals that once served to link its warehouses to the port. The
Livorno Courthouse The Livorno Courthouse () is a judicial complex located in the Venezia Nuova neighborhood of Livorno, Italy. History The building dates back to the late 17th century, originally constructed for a female religious order but entrusted to the Jesuit ...
is located in Venezia Nuova.


''Monumento dei quattro mori''

The
Monument of the Four Moors The Monument of the Four Moors () is located in Livorno, Italy. It was completed in 1626 to commemorate the victories of Ferdinand I of Tuscany over the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans. It is the most famous monument of Livorno and is located in Pia ...
is dedicated to
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
, and is one of the most popular monuments of Livorno. Ferdinando I commissioned it to Giovanni Bandini in 1595 to carry out a monument in white
Carrara marble Carrara marble, or Luna marble (''marmor lunense'') to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara ...
to represent him in the uniform of the Grand master of the
Order of Saint Stephen The Order of Saint Stephen (officially ''Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire'', 'Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr') is a Roman Catholic Tuscan dynastic military order founded in 1561. The order was created ...
which in that period prevailed in several naval battles against the
Barbary pirates The Barbary corsairs, Barbary pirates, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen (in Muslim sources) were mainly Muslim corsairs and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barba ...
. The monument was completed in 1599, shortly before the death of Bandini which occurred on 18 April, and arrived to Livorno by sea from
Carrara Carrara ( ; ; , ) is a town and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey Carrara marble, marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some Boxing the compass, ...
in 1601. Ferdinando I projected to add four statues of moors prisoners at the pedestal of his monument and gave the task to
Pietro Tacca Pietro Tacca (16 September 1577 – 26 October 1640) was an Italian sculptor, who was the chief pupil and follower of Giambologna. Tacca began in a Mannerist style and worked in the Baroque style during his maturity. Biography Born in Carr ...
in 1602 but the monument remained in a corner of the square till 29 May 1617 when it was inaugurated by
Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo II de' Medici (12 May 1590 – 28 February 1621) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1609 until his death. He was the elder son of Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Christina of Lorraine. For the majority of his 12-year rei ...
. In the meantime Tacca received the approval to add the four moors to the pedestal; the first two statues were fused in
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
in 1622 and carried on the barges along the
Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a sou ...
to Livorno; according to the tradition the young moor was named Morgiano and the older Alì Salentino; the other two sculptures were installed in 1626. During the French occupation of Livorno, from 1796 to 1799, the monument was removed from Sextius Mollis commander of the French garrison because it represented an insult to the
tyranny A tyrant (), in the modern English language, English usage of the word, is an autocracy, absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurper, usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defen ...
, as soon as the French left the town the monument was put back in its former place. During World War II the monument was transferred to a protected place in order to avoid being damaged by allied attacks, the statue of Ferdinando I was hidden in the
Pisa Charterhouse Pisa Charterhouse, also Calci Charterhouse or Val Graziosa Charterhouse (), is a former Carthusian monastery, now the home of the Pisa Museum of Natural History. It is 10 km outside Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, in the ''comune'' of Calci. The mon ...
and the four moors in the Medici Villa at Poggio a Caiano. The monument has been restored recently in 1990 and 2013.


''Acquedotto Leopoldino''

The '' Acquedotto Leopoldino'' and the neoclassical cisterns of Livorno were part of a sophisticated scheme to provide water to Livorno.


''La Gran Conserva''

'' La Gran Conserva'', or ''Il Cisternone'', situated on what were the outskirts of 19th-century Livorno, is the largest and best known of the city's covered cisterns.


''Cisternino di città''

''
Cisternino di città Cisternino is a ''comune'' in the province of Brindisi in Apulia, on the coast of south-eastern Italy, approximately north-west of the city of Brindisi. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). Its main ...
'' is an austere neoclassical design which was approved in 1837 and completed in 1848.


''Piazza della Repubblica''

At the beginning of the 19th century arose the need to connect the Medicean road system of the '' Pentagono del Buontalenti'' to the new eastern districts of the town, on the other side of the ''Fosso Reale'', and the requirement to dismantle the city gate ''Porta a Pisa''. The solution adopted in 1844 was that of Luigi Bettarini which considered the coverage of the ''Fosso Reale'' with an imposing
vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosur ...
, 240 meters long and 90 meters wide, creating an elliptical paving. The portion of the canal covered by the new structure continued to be navigable. The new square was commonly called ''Piazza del Voltone'' until 1850, then ''Piazza dei Granduchi'' in honour of the Lorraine dynasty until 1859, in the period of the
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
was named to ''
Carlo Alberto Charles Albert (; 2 October 1798 – 28 July 1849) was the King of Sardinia and ruler of the Savoyard state from 27 April 1831 until his abdication in 1849. His name is bound up with the first Italian constitution, the ''Statuto Albertino'', a ...
'' until June 1946 when was given the current name ''Piazza della
Repubblica Repubblica (Republic in Italian) may refer to: *''la Repubblica'', an Italian newspaper *Repubblica (Milan Metro), a rail station in Milan, Italy *Milano Repubblica railway station, a station on the Milan Passante railway *Repubblica (fictional cou ...
''. The square, adorned with 52 marble benches, 92 pillars and two statues dedicated to Ferdinand III by Francesco Pozzi were inaugurated on 8 September 1847 and that dedicated to Leopold II by Paolo Emilio Demi was installed on 6 June 1848. The statue of Leopoldo II was damaged by the crowd on 6 May 1849 and removed from the square because the Emperor was seen as the symbol of the Austrian domination; the statue was placed in ''Piazza XX Settembre'' in 1957.


''Terrazza Mascagni''

The ''Terrazza Mascagni'' is a wide sinuous belvedere toward the sea with views to the Livorno hills, the
Tuscan Archipelago The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy. The islands' proximity to several major cities has made them a favourite tourist location. History and literature have ensured that ...
to
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
, and the
Port of Livorno The Port of Livorno is one of the largest Italian seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Mediterranean Sea, with an annual traffic capacity of around 30 million tonnes of cargo and 700,000 TEU's. The port is also an important employer ...
. It is located on the site of the ''Forte dei Cavalleggieri'' (Cavalrymen Fort) built in the 17th century by
Cosimo I de' Medici Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second and last duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first grand duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Cosimo I succeeded his cousin to the duchy. ...
to deter pirate raids, subsequently replaced by a leisure park in the 1800s, and a heliotherapy centre in the early 1900s. A new
parterre A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, plats, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the ...
, built between 1925 and 1928 by Enrico Salvais and Luigi Pastore, was formed by a series of flower beds and a walkway which follow the outline of the sea with numerous balustrades named after
Costanzo Ciano Costanzo Ciano, 1st Count of Cortellazzo (; 30 August 1876 – 26 June 1939) was an Italian naval officer and politician. He was the father of Galeazzo Ciano. Biography Early life Born at Livorno, he was the son of Raimondo Ciano and his wife, ...
. The ''Terrazza'' has a paved surface of 8,700 square meters formed by 34,800 black and white tiles placed as a
checkerboard A checkerboard (American English) or chequerboard (British English) is a game board of check (pattern), checkered pattern on which checkers (also known as English draughts) is played. Most commonly, it consists of 64 squares (8×8) of alternating ...
and 4,100
baluster A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...
s. In 1932, a
gazebo A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal or Gun turret, turret-shaped, often built in a park, garden, or spacious public area. Some are used on occasions as bandstands. In British English, the word is also used for a tent-like can ...
for musical performances was built in the large square; it was destroyed during World War II. In 1937 the Livorno Aquarium was constructed. After the war, the ''Terrazza'' was dedicated to
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
and in 1994 it underwent a complete restoration using the same kind of materials originally employed; the works were completed on 10 July 1998 with the reconstruction of the gazebo.


''Palazzo Comunale''

Livorno was elevated to the status of
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
on 19 March 1606 by
Ferdinando I de' Medici Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
, the first
Gonfaloniere The Gonfalonier (Italian: ''Gonfaloniere'') was the holder of a highly prestigious communal office in medieval and Renaissance Italy, notably in Florence and the Papal States. The name derives from '' gonfalone'' (English: "gonfalon"), the term ...
Bernardetto Borromei and the Community representatives held their meetings in the Church of Saint Mary and Saint Julia. On 13 June 1646 a building, placed in ''Via del Porticciolo'', was purchased for the sum of seven thousand
ducat The ducat ( ) coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages to the 19th century. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wide inter ...
s, in order to accommodate the Community. It was evident that it was inadequate to the task and the Council deliberated, on 27 January 1720, the construction of the new town hall on the project by Giovanni del Fantasia. The new neo-renaissance palace, positioned between ''Palazzo della Dogana'' and ''Palazzo Granducale'' on the north side of ''Piazza d’Arme'', was partially destroyed by the 1742 earthquake. Restored in 1745 by Bernardino Ciurini and Antonio Fabbri a double white marble stairway and a small bell tower on the top of the façade were added. In 1867 the complex was enlarged with the acquisition of three other buildings in the back. With the settlement of the
Podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
in the
fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...
period was carried out a new enlargement in 1929 by Enrico Salvais and Luigi Pastore transforming the adjacent former fire station in the council hall. Damaged by the bombing during World War II it was rebuilt and renovated under the direction of Primavera and was inaugurated in 1949 by the mayor Furio Diaz.


Religious architecture


Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi

The cathedral of the town, commonly called Duomo di Livorno, is dedicated to
Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
,
Mary, mother of Jesus Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
, and
Julia of Corsica Julia of Corsica (; ; ; ), also known as Julia of Carthage, and more rarely ''Julia of Nonza'', was a virgin and martyr who is venerated as a saint. Her death occurred most probably in AD 439 or thereafter. She and Devota are the patron ...
, and was built in a central position of the Pentagono del Buontalenti on the south side of Piazza Grande once named Piazza d’Arme. The original plan was drawn up by
Bernardo Buontalenti Bernardo Timante Buonacorsi ( – June 1608), known as Bernardo Buontalenti () and sometimes by the nickname "Bernardo delle Girandole", was an Italian Scenic design, stage designer, architect, theatrical designer, Military engineering, military ...
when he projected the new town. The construction began in June 1581 on a reviewed plan by
Alessandro Pieroni Alessandro Pieroni (18 April 1550 in Impruneta – 24 July 1607 in Livorno) was an Italian architect and painter. He was active mainly in a Mannerist style, working for the courts of Grandukes Francesco I and Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke ...
under the direction of Antonio Cantagallina. The church had a rectangular plant with a single nave, the original wooden ceiling, executed from 1610 to 1614, was carved by Vincenzo Ricordati and gilded with seven inserted paintings.
Jacopo Ligozzi Jacopo Ligozzi (1547–1627) was an Italian painter, illustrator, designer, and miniaturist. His art can be categorized as late-Renaissance and Mannerism, Mannerist styles. Biography Born in Verona, he was the son of the artist Giovanni Erma ...
, Domenico Cresti and
Jacopo Chimenti image:San Lorenzo,L'Empoli, il Martirio di San Sebastiano.JPG, 250px, ''Martyrdom of St. Sebastian'', San Lorenzo di Firenze, San Lorenzo, Florence Jacopo da Empoli (30 April 1551 – 30 September 1640) was an Italian Florentine Reformist painter ...
decorated, from 1610 to 1614, three large paintings representing "St Francis with Child and the Virgin", the "Assumption of Mary" and the "Apotheosis of Ste Julia", the other four paintings were works by minor artists.Livornoyoung
/ref> The simply façade had a marble porch with twin Doric columns surmounted by a terrace added in 1605 on a project by Alessandro Pieroni. The church was consecrated on 19 February 1606 by
Monsignor Monsignor (; ) is a form of address or title for certain members of the clergy in the Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" can be abbreviated as Mons.... or Msgr. In some ...
Nunzio Antonio Grimani; on request by
Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando II de' Medici (14 July 1610 – 23 May 1670) was Grand Duchy of Tuscany, grand duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670. He was the eldest son of Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo II de' Medici and Archduchess Maria Mad ...
, in 1629, was elevated to
collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, headed by a dignitary bearing ...
and the ''Curato'' was substituted from a ''Proposto'' having the functions of the Vicar of the
archbishop of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa () is a Latin Church metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.
. The plant of the church was modified in
Christian cross The Christian cross, seen as representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a religious symbol, symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix, a cross that includes a ''corpus'' (a representation of Jesus' body, usually three-dimensional) a ...
when in 1716 was added the first of two lateral chapels. The left side chapel, dedicated to the
Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...
, was built on a project by
Giovanni del Fantasia Giovanni del Fantasia (1670–1743) was an Italian architect and engineer, operating in a Baroque style, mainly in and around Livorno, region of Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and ...
with frescoes by Giovanni Maria Terreni and the altar attributed to
Giovanni Baratta Giovanni Baratta (1670–1747) was an Italian sculptor of the late-Baroque period. He was born in Carrara, but active in Florence and Livorno. He was a pupil of Giovanni Battista Foggini. He has sculptures in church of San Ferdinando, Livor ...
, The right side chapel, dedicated to
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
, was built in 1727 and was decorated with paintings by
Luigi Ademollo Luigi Ademollo (April 30, 1764 – February 11, 1849) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born in Milan. He studied at the Brera Academy, where he was taught by Giulio Traballesi, Giocondo Albertolli, and Giuseppe Piermarini. He left Milan ...
. The Collegiata in 1806 was elevated to
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
and in 1817 was added the bell tower 50 meters high on project by Gaspero Pampaloni. The cathedral was completely destroyed in 1943 from the Allied bombardment during World War II; it was then rebuilt respecting the original structure except for the two marble porches added to the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
s and was consecrated on 21 December 1952 by Bishop Giovanni Piccioni. Since 2006, on the occasion of the bicentennial of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Livorno The Diocese of Livorno () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Tuscany. It was created in 1806. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Pisa.
, the "Christ Crowned with Thorns", by
Fra Angelico Fra Angelico, O.P. (; ; born Guido di Pietro; 18 February 1455) was a Dominican friar and Italian Renaissance painter of the Early Renaissance, described by Giorgio Vasari in his ''Lives of the Artists'' as having "a rare and perfect talent" ...
, was displayed in the Chapel of the Eucharist.


Church of the Madonna

The Church of the Madonna is placed on the street of the same name which connects directly the city centre with the district '' Venezia Nuova'' through the
John of Nepomuk John of Nepomuk (or John Nepomucene) (; ; ) ( 1345 – 20 March 1393) was a saint of Bohemia (a western part of what is now the Czech Republic) who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia. Later accounts st ...
bridge. According to tradition the church was built to host the statute of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is a Roman Catholic Titles of Mary, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated as patron saint, patroness of the Carmelites, Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on M ...
subtracted from a Turkish ship. The church was important as it was a place of worship for foreign communities.
Ferdinando I de' Medici Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
gave the church to the
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
which had the nearby Oratory of Saints Cosmas and Damian. The construction began on 25 March 1607 on a project by
Alessandro Pieroni Alessandro Pieroni (18 April 1550 in Impruneta – 24 July 1607 in Livorno) was an Italian architect and painter. He was active mainly in a Mannerist style, working for the courts of Grandukes Francesco I and Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke ...
and was completed in 1611; the church at first was dedicated to
Saint Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
,
Saint Francis St. Francis or Saint Francis may refer to: Roman Catholic saints *Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), Italian founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) *Francis of Paola (1416–1507), Italian (Calabrian) founder of the Order of the Minims * ...
and
Saints Cosmas and Damian Cosmas and Damian ( – or AD) were two Arabs, Arab physicians and early Christian martyrs. They practised their profession in the seaport of Yumurtalık, Aegeae, then in the Roman province of Cilicia (Roman province), Cilicia. Cosmas and ...
but in 1638 was dedicated to the
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
following enlargement of the building. The church has a rectangular plan with a single nave and
groin vault A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: La ...
, on each side, there are the three altars of the foreign Nations. The altar of the French Nation was built in 1613 and the painting, by Matteo Rosselli, represents Saint Louis. The altar of the Corsican Nation, which at the time was under the control of the
Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
, has a painting representing
John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...
. The altar of the Portuguese Nation, built in the 17th century, had a wooden statue of Saint Mary until 1728 when this was positioned near the main altar and replaced by one of
Anthony of Padua Anthony of Padua, Order of Friars Minor, OFM, (; ; ) or Anthony of Lisbon (; ; ; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Catholic priest and member of the Order of Friars Minor. ...
. The altar of the Dutch-German Nation is dedicated to
Andrew the Apostle Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Apostles in the New Testament, Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Chu ...
. Outside the body of the building, separated by a railing, is a Chapel dedicate to the '' Madonna di Montenero'' built in 1631. The simple façade was covered in white marble in 1972.


Church of the Most Holy Annunciation

The Church of the Most Holy Annunciation is located in the central street of ''Via della Madonna'', not far from the Armenian community Church of
Gregory the Illuminator Gregory the Illuminator ( – ) was the founder and first official Catholicos of All Armenians, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He Christianization of Armenia, converted Armenia from Zoroastrianism in Armenia, Zoroastrianism to Chris ...
and the Church of the Madonna. The church is called Unite Greeks too because was the worship place for the Greek community of
Byzantine Rite The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, is a liturgical rite that is identified with the wide range of cultural, devotional, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Chri ...
who once lived in Livorno. At the end of the 16th century, numerous Greeks came to Tuscany to take service aboard the
galley A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...
s of the
Order of Saint Stephen The Order of Saint Stephen (officially ''Sacro Militare Ordine di Santo Stefano Papa e Martire'', 'Holy Military Order of St. Stephen Pope and Martyr') is a Roman Catholic Tuscan dynastic military order founded in 1561. The order was created ...
. The church was built in 1601 on a project by
Alessandro Pieroni Alessandro Pieroni (18 April 1550 in Impruneta – 24 July 1607 in Livorno) was an Italian architect and painter. He was active mainly in a Mannerist style, working for the courts of Grandukes Francesco I and Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke ...
, was completed in 1605 and consecrated on 25 March 1606. The
baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
façade was built in 1708 presumably on a project by
Giovanni Baratta Giovanni Baratta (1670–1747) was an Italian sculptor of the late-Baroque period. He was born in Carrara, but active in Florence and Livorno. He was a pupil of Giovanni Battista Foggini. He has sculptures in church of San Ferdinando, Livor ...
with a triangular
pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...
and
Doric order The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...
and was decorated by the statues of Meekness and Innocence by Andrea Vaccà. The interior has a single nave and the ceiling is adorned by a
coffer A coffer (or coffering) in architecture is a series of sunken panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault. A series of these sunken panels was often used as decoration for a ceiling or a vault, al ...
structure with a central painting representing the Annunciation by Giovanni Domenico Ferretti (1750). The precious wooden
Iconostasis In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis () is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a Church (building), church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere withi ...
in Byzantine style date back to 1641 and has three doors painted by Agostino Wanonbrachen in 1751; on the central door is represented the Most Holy Annunciation and
Basil of Caesarea Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great (330 – 1 or 2 January 379) was an early Roman Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia from 370 until his death in 379. He was an influential theologian who suppor ...
,
Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus (; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen, was an early Roman Christian theologian and prelate who served as Archbi ...
,
John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (; ; – 14 September 407) was an important Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and p ...
and
Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...
; in the right door is painted the
Nativity of Jesus The Nativity or birth of Jesus Christ is found in the biblical gospels of Gospel of Matthew, Matthew and Gospel of Luke, Luke. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Palestine, in Herodian kingdom, Roman-controlled Judea, th ...
and the four Apostles, in the left door is represented the Adoration of the Shepherds. The church was entirely destroyed by the bombings during World War II and the restoration was completed in 1985.


Other Religious Structures

* Santa Caterina da Siena: Baroque church in the centre of Livorno, in ''Venezia Nuova'' district. *
San Ferdinando San Ferdinando ( Calabrian: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about southwest of Catanzaro and about northeast of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a populat ...
: Baroque church located also in ''Venezia Nuova'' district next to the Piazza del Luogo Pio. * San Giovanni Battista:
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
-
Mannerist Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...
church located at the crossing of ''Via San Giovanni'' and ''Via Carraia'' in central Livorno. * Santa Maria del Soccorso: Neoclassical Marian votive church in central Livorno. The tall brick church façade is located scenically at the end of ''Via Magenta'', and has a park surrounding it. In front is a Monument to Fallen Soldiers (''caduti'') in the first World War. * Old English Cemetery: oldest foreign Protestant burial ground in Italy. It was founded around 1645 and contains over 300 Carrara marble graves of notable people from 10 different nationalities.
Tobias Smollett Tobias George Smollett (bapt. 19 March 1721 – 17 September 1771) was a Scottish writer and surgeon. He was best known for writing picaresque novels such as ''The Adventures of Roderick Random'' (1748), ''The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle'' ...
and Francis Horner were buried here, but also some of the friends of
Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...
and Shelley and the husband of
Saint Elizabeth Seton Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (August 28, 1774 – January 4, 1821) was an American Catholic religious and educator, known as a founder of the country's parochial school system. Born in New York and reared as an Episcopalian, she married and had f ...
. The cemetery was closed in 1839 and a new one, still active, was opened. *
Sanctuary of Montenero The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, also known as Sanctuary of Montenero, is a religious complex in Monte Nero, a village in Livorno Hills, near Livorno, central Italy reachable by a funicular. The complex, elevated to the rank of Basilica and mai ...
: Marian sanctuary atop a hill outside Livorno, dedicated to
Our Lady of Graces Our Lady of Graces (Italian: ''Madonna delle Grazie'' or ''Nostra Signora delle Grazie'') or Saint Mary of Graces (Italian: ''Santa Maria delle Grazie'') is a devotion to the Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. Several churches with this d ...
, the patron saint of Tuscany, is a destination for pilgrims. It is famous for the adjacent gallery, decorated with
ex-voto An ex-voto is a votive offering to a saint or a divinity, given in fulfillment of a vow (hence the Latin term, short for ''ex voto suscepto'', "from the vow made") or in gratitude or devotion. The term is usually restricted to Christian example ...
, chiefly related to events of miraculous rescues of people at sea. *
Temple of the Dutch German Congregation The Dutch German Church (It. ''Tempio della Congregazione Olandese Alemanna'', literally Temple of the Dutch German Congregation) in Livorno, Italy, is on the stretch of the Fosso Reale canal that runs between Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Ca ...
: known more simply as the Dutch-German Church, is situated in Livorno, on the stretch of the ''Fosso Reale'' canal that runs between ''Piazza della Repubblica'' and ''Piazza Cavour''. *
Synagogue of Livorno The New Synagogue of Livorno, or Great Synagogue of Livorno (), is a Judaism, Jewish congregation and synagogue, that is located at Piazza Benamozegh 1, in Livorno, in Tuscany, Italy. Designed in the Modernist architecture, Modernist style, th ...
: main
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
place of worship in Livorno, located in ''Piazza
Elijah Benamozegh Elijah Benamozegh (24 April 1823 – 6 February 1900), sometimes Elia or Eliyahu, was an Italian Sephardic Orthodox rabbi and renowned Jewish Kabbalist, highly respected in his day as one of Italy's most eminent Jewish scholars. He served for ...
''.


Military architecture


''Fortezza Vecchia''

The origin of ''
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
'' takes place not far from what once was ''Porto Pisano'' (Pisan Port) where a square tower was built in 1077, on request of
Matilda of Tuscany Matilda of Tuscany (; or ; – 24 July 1115), or Matilda of Canossa ( ), also referred to as ("the Great Countess"), was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as the Attonids) in the second half of the eleventh century. Matilda was on ...
, on the remains of a Roman tower; in 1241 the Pisans built a massive cylindrical tower, 30 meters high erroneously called '' Mastio di Matilde'' (Matilda keep). Pisa realized the strategic importance of the castle of Livorno which owned since 1103 and in 1377 the
Doge Doge, DoGE or DOGE may refer to: Internet culture * Doge (meme), an Internet meme primarily associated with the Shiba Inu dog breed ** Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency named after the meme ** Kabosu (dog), the dog portrayed in the original Doge image ...
''Gambacorti'' of the
Republic of Pisa The Republic of Pisa () was an independent state existing from the 11th to the 15th century centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian t ...
built a quadrangular Fort called ''Quadratura dei Pisani'' (Quartered of the Pisans) on plans attributed to ''Puccio di Landuccio'' and ''Francesco di Giovanni Giordani''. In 1392 this fort was connected to a wall in order to defend better the town and the '' Darsena''. Livorno, in 1405, was sold to Genoa which reinforced the defences, building three forts under the Quartered, afterwards Livorno was bought from
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
on 28 August 1421 at the price of 100.000
Tuscan florin The Tuscan fiorino (plural: ''fiorini'') was the currency of Tuscany between 1826 and 1859. It was subdivided into 100 quattrini (singular: ''quattrino''), a local currency made by four denari (from the Latin: ''quater denarii''). There was an addi ...
. The project to build ''Fortezza Vecchia'' was commissioned to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1506, the fortress had to incorporate the existing Pisan and Genovese constructions. The works started in 1518 on the order of Cardinal Giulio De' Medici under the supervision of ''Nicolao da Pietrasanta''. The construction was suspended since the popular revolt forced the Medici in exile and was resumed in 1530 on their return. ''Fortezza Vecchia'' is a massive fortification completed on 1 April 1534 under ''
Alessandro de' Medici Alessandro de' Medici (22 July 1510 – 6 January 1537), nicknamed "il Moro" due to his dark complexion, Duke of Penne and the first Duke of the Florentine Republic (from 1532), was ruler of Florence from 1530 to his death in 1537. The first Me ...
''; it was built in red-brick with sloping walls and the interposition of clear stones, it has a quadrangular plant with a perimeter of 1500 meters and was equipped with 24 cannons to protect each side. One of the corners directs inside to join the Quartered of the Pisans and Matilda and Genoa keep; the three others are protected by triangular
bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
s with rounded tips. The bastion towards the north is called ''Capitana'' because there moored the main
Galley A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...
, to the east is ''Ampolletta'' since housed the sand-glass used to control the guard duty, to the west is the ''Canaviglia'' derived from ''Cavaniglia'' the name of the commander of the galleys of the Grand Ducky of Tuscany. The land on the side toward the town was excavated in order to have the fortress surrounded by the sea for better defence. ''
Cosimo I de' Medici Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second and last duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first grand duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Cosimo I succeeded his cousin to the duchy. ...
'' built in 1544 an imposing palace, overlooking the '' Vecchia Darsena'', above the Quartered of the Pisans which went destroyed during World War II. The successor
Francesco I de' Medici Francesco I (25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587) was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 until his death in 1587. He was a member of the House of Medici. Biography Born in Florence, Francesco was the son of Cosimo I de' Medi ...
built a small palace toward the sea, later became '' Porto Mediceo'', on the top of Canaviglia bastion situated at the entrance of ''Vecchia Darsena''. On the opposite side was built a church dedicated to Saint Francis where on 19 March 1606 ''
Ferdinando I de' Medici Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 17 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I, who presumably died from malaria. Early life Ferdinando was the ...
'' elevated Livorno to the status of
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
. ''Fortezza Vecchia'' changed its function to the coming of the
House of Habsburg-Lorraine The House of Habsburg-Lorraine () originated from the marriage in 1736 of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, Francis III, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Maria Theresa of Habsburg monarchy, Austria, later successively List of Bohemian monarchs, Queen ...
in 1737, by a defensive structure to a military college for officers of the Army of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
(1769) and afterwards in garrison (1795).


''Fortezza Nuova''

The origin of ''Fortezza Nuova'' (New fortress) took place towards the end of the 1500s, by the adjustment of the ''Baluardo San Francesco'' (Saint Francis rampart) and the ''Baluardo Santa Barbara'' (Saint Barbara rampant). The project was commissioned by
Cosimo I Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second and last duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first grand duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Cosimo I succeeded his cousin to the duchy. ...
to
Bernardo Buontalenti Bernardo Timante Buonacorsi ( – June 1608), known as Bernardo Buontalenti () and sometimes by the nickname "Bernardo delle Girandole", was an Italian Scenic design, stage designer, architect, theatrical designer, Military engineering, military ...
with the intention to develop a new urban plan of the town that led to a pentagonal shape surrounded by canals. The original project was then modified by
Don Giovanni de' Medici Don Giovanni de' Medici (13 May 1567, in Florence – 19 July 1621, in Murano) was an Italian military commander, diplomat and architect. Medici was born the illegitimate son of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Eleonora d ...
, Claudio Cogorano and
Alessandro Pieroni Alessandro Pieroni (18 April 1550 in Impruneta – 24 July 1607 in Livorno) was an Italian architect and painter. He was active mainly in a Mannerist style, working for the courts of Grandukes Francesco I and Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke ...
to allow the construction of the ''Fortezza Nuova'' in order to strengthen the military apparatus of the town. The works started on 10 January 1590 and ended in 1604, the result is a considerable fortification, in stones and red bricks, with a polygonal plant surrounded by water; the new modification brought to the construction of the ''Forte San Pietro'' (Saint Peter fort) to defend the ''Venezia Nuova'' quarter. In 1629 part of the fortress was demolished to permit the building of the ''Venezia Nuova'' and the ''San Marco'' quarters that was commissioned by Ferdinando II. The ''Fortezza Nuova'' has been used for military purpose until the end of World War II, inside were built barracks and warehouses and a chapel dedicated to the
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
. The fortress was heavily damaged during World War II with the destruction of most parts of the buildings, the restoration was completed in 1972 and the superior part is used at present as a public park and centre for events and displays.


''Pentagono del Buontalenti''

Francesco I de' Medici Francesco I (25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587) was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 until his death in 1587. He was a member of the House of Medici. Biography Born in Florence, Francesco was the son of Cosimo I de' Medi ...
gave to
Bernardo Buontalenti Bernardo Timante Buonacorsi ( – June 1608), known as Bernardo Buontalenti () and sometimes by the nickname "Bernardo delle Girandole", was an Italian Scenic design, stage designer, architect, theatrical designer, Military engineering, military ...
in 1575 the task to project the
ideal town In urban design, an ideal city is the concept of a City planning, plan for a city that has been conceived in accordance with a particular rational or moral objective. Concept The "ideal" nature of such a city may encompass the moral, Spiritua ...
in order to transform Livorno from a fishing village in a fortified town to accommodate 12,000 inhabitants, to include the original settlement and the ''Fortezza Vecchia'', capable to become the trade centre of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
. The development of the project led to a pentagonal plant as in use in the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
period, each side 600 meters long, with defensive walls, rampant and five bastions at the vertices, surrounded by canals; the fifth bastion coincided with ''
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
''. The plan gave no information regarding the function of the new urban area, indicating only a series of building blocks within a road system absolutely orthogonal,
cardo A ''cardo'' (: ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Rome, ancient Roman cities and military castra, camps as an integral component of Urban planning, city planning. The ''cardo maximus'', or most often the ''cardo'', was the main ...
and
Decumanus Maximus In Roman urban planning, a ''decumanus'' was an east–west-oriented road in a Roman city or '' castrum'' (military camp). The main ''decumanus'' of a particular city was the ''decumanus maximus'', or most often simply "the ''decumanus''". In t ...
. The road axis from north to south (cardo) underline the direction that united the centre of the town with a significant place as the
Sanctuary of Montenero The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, also known as Sanctuary of Montenero, is a religious complex in Monte Nero, a village in Livorno Hills, near Livorno, central Italy reachable by a funicular. The complex, elevated to the rank of Basilica and mai ...
; the axis from west to east (decumanus) linked the ''Baluardo Santa Giulia'' to ''Baluardo Sant’Andrea''. In August 1576 was created the Office of the ''Fabbrica di Livorno'' with the task of supervising the construction and Alessandro Puccini was the chief superintendent. Francesco I de' Medici laid the first stone for the construction of the ''Baluardo di San Francesco'' (Saint Francis rampant) of the new town on 28 March 1577; the works went on with several changes compared with the original plan including the construction of the '' Fortezza Nuova''. Livorno became a town, encircled by the navigable '' Fosso Reale'' (Royal canal), with numerous palaces, warehouse, garrisons and custom-houses. The central street at that time was ''Via Ferdinanda'' extended for 750 meters, later called ''Via Grande'', from '' Porta Colonnella'' (Colonella city gate), in the proximity of '' Vecchia Darsena'', to ''Porta Pisana'' (Pisan city gate). The ''Baluardo Sant’Andrea'' was initiated in 1578 while the ''Baluardo Santa Giulia'' started in 1582. In 1594 it was decided to create a huge square, at halfway of ''Via Ferdinanda'', where to build the church of the new town. The church, which was built in a central position on the south side of ''Piazza d’Arme'', later ''Piazza Grande'', was completed in 1602 under the direction of Antonio Cantagaliina and
Alessandro Pieroni Alessandro Pieroni (18 April 1550 in Impruneta – 24 July 1607 in Livorno) was an Italian architect and painter. He was active mainly in a Mannerist style, working for the courts of Grandukes Francesco I and Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke ...
. ''Piazza d’Arme'' was completed and enlarged with the old ''Porticciolo dei Genovesi'' (Port of Genovesi) filled up with earth to make room to the building called ''Tre Palazzi'' (Three palaces); the square was adorned with a series of marble arcades attributed to Alessandro Pieroni. The ''Palazzo del Picchetto'' was built, on plan by
Giovanni Battista Foggini Giovanni Battista (Giambattista) Foggini (25 April 1652 – 12 April 1725) was an Italian sculptor active in Florence, renowned mainly for small bronze statuary. Biography Born in Florence, the young Foggini was sent to Rome by the Medici Gra ...
and Giovanni del Fantasia in 1707, at the end of ''Via Ferdinanda'' in the proximity of ''Porta Pisana''.


''Accademia Navale''

The
Italian Naval Academy The Italian Naval Academy (Italian: ''Accademia Navale'') is a coeducational military university in Livorno, which is responsible for the technical training of military officers of the Italian Navy. History The Hospitals The Hospital of St. Jame ...
is a mixed-sex military university in Livorno, which is responsible for the technical training of military officers of the
Italian Navy The Italian Navy (; abbreviated as MM) is one of the four branches of Italian Armed Forces and was formed in 1946 from what remained of the ''Regia Marina'' (Royal Navy) after World War II. , the Italian Navy had a strength of 30,923 active per ...
.


Main sight

* Acquario comunale Diacinto Cestoni * Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi * Cisternone * Fanale dei Pisani *
Fortezza Vecchia The Old Fortress of Corfu (, ) is a Republic of Venice, Venetian fortress in the Corfu (city), city of Corfu. The fortress covers the promontory which initially contained the old town of Corfu that had emerged during Byzantine times. Before t ...
* Fortezza Nuova * Fosso Reale * Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo * Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori * Old English Cemetery *
Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo The Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the '' Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo'' at Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. It contains groupings of plants typical to various locations along the Mediterranean ...
* Porto Mediceo *
Sanctuary of Montenero The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, also known as Sanctuary of Montenero, is a religious complex in Monte Nero, a village in Livorno Hills, near Livorno, central Italy reachable by a funicular. The complex, elevated to the rank of Basilica and mai ...
* Terrazza Mascagni * Venezia Nuova


Sport

*
U.S. Livorno 1915 Unione Sportiva Livorno 1915 (formerly A.S. Livorno Calcio, commonly known as Livorno), is a professional football club based in Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. They compete in Serie C, the third tier of professional Italian football after their prom ...
, a semi-professional
football club In association football, a football club (or association football club, alternatively soccer club) is a sports club that acts as an entity through which association football teams organise their sporting activities. The club can exist either as ...
, currently plays in the
Serie D The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...
. Its matches are played at the ''
Stadio Armando Picchi The Stadio Armando Picchi is a multi-purpose stadium in Livorno, Italy. A.S. Livorno Calcio originally used the Villa Chayes Stadium, part of the nearby the Naval Academy, for matches but when the city team was promoted to the Serie A in 1928-29 ...
''. * ''
Pallacanestro Don Bosco Livorno Pallacanestro Don Bosco Livorno, founded in 1996, is a professional Italian basketball club from the town of Livorno, Tuscany, playing in the Serie C gold Basket, Serie C (third division) as of June 2015. Formerly a youth section of Basket Livorno ...
'', founded in 1996, is an amateur
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
club, playing in the Serie C Gold as of April 2017. Livorno also has its own rugby and American football teams.


Infrastructure


Airport

The nearest airport is the main airport of Tuscany, Pisa International Airport, which is about away.


Buses

Since 1875 Livorno has ever had a public transport system managed by some companies such as ATAM, ACIT, ATL and CTT Nord that changed over the years. Livorno bus network, as the entire
Regione Toscana Tuscany ( ; ) is a region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high cu ...
, is performed by
Autolinee Toscane Autolinee Toscane S.p.A. (also known as at) is a private Italian-French company, wholly owned by RATP Dev, active in the local public transport sector. It manages several urban and suburban bus lines in Tuscany for a total of 1.7 million kilomet ...
which manages, since 1 November 2021, two High Mobility Lines (''LAM Blu'' and ''LAM Rossa''), seventeen urban lines, one school line and six suburban routes departing from Livorno across the
Province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
. Autolinee Toscane operates a
funicular A funicular ( ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep grade (slope), slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to ...
which connect lower Montenero to the
Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...
.


Port

The
Port of Livorno The Port of Livorno is one of the largest Italian seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Mediterranean Sea, with an annual traffic capacity of around 30 million tonnes of cargo and 700,000 TEU's. The port is also an important employer ...
is one of the largest seaports both in Italy and the Mediterranean Sea as a whole. The Port has regular ferry links of the following operators with the following cities: * Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries to Golfo Aranci and
Bastia Bastia ( , , , ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Haute-Corse, Corsica, France. It is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It also has the second-highest popu ...
*
Grimaldi Lines The Grimaldi Group is a private shipping company owned by the Grimaldi family (Emanuele Grimaldi) and based in Naples, Italy. Grimaldi operates a large fleet of ro-ro, ro-ro/multipurpose, con-ro multipurpose, PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) ...
to
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
and
Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...
*
Moby Lines Moby Lines (Moby Lines S.p.A.) is an Italian shipping company that operates ferries and cruiseferries between the Italian or French mainland and the islands of Elba, Sardinia and Corsica. The company was founded in 1959 under the name Navigazi ...
to
Olbia Olbia (, ; ; ) is a city and communes of Italy, commune of 61,000 inhabitants in the Italy, Italian insular province of Sassari in northeastern Sardinia, Italy, in the historical region of Gallura. Called in the Roman age, Civita in the Middle ...
and
Bastia Bastia ( , , , ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Haute-Corse, Corsica, France. It is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It also has the second-highest popu ...
*
Toremar 240px, ''Rio Marina Bella'' and ''Liburna'' in Livorno Toremar (Toscana Regionale Marittima) is an Italian shipping company which operates in routes from Tuscany to the Tuscan archipelago. On 3 November 2009 the Transport Minister Altero Matteo ...
to
Capraia Capraia is an Italian island, the northwesternmost of the seven islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, and the third largest after Elba and Giglio. It is also a ''comune'' ( Capraia Isola) belonging to the Province of Livorno. The island has a ...


Trains

The city is served by Livorno Centrale station.


Education


Schools


'' Istituto Tecnico Industriale "Galileo Galilei"''

The Industrial Technical Institute named to
Galileo Galilei Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...
was founded in 1825 as a School of Arts and Crafts in order to prepare the youngs to a profession in the sector of the mechanic industry as in the decorative arts. In 1923 the Gentile Reform transformed the school in an Industrial Technical Institute for
mechanics Mechanics () is the area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among Physical object, physical objects. Forces applied to objects may result in Displacement (vector), displacements, which are changes of ...
and
electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
, and in 1947 was added
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
. In the following years other specialities were added as
physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
,
electronics Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...
,
biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
,
nuclear physics Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter. Nuclear physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies th ...
and
informatics Informatics is the study of computational systems. According to the Association for Computing Machinery, ACM Europe Council and Informatics Europe, informatics is synonymous with computer science and computing as a profession, in which the centra ...
. The institute is structured with 32 laboratories, 8 special school-rooms, library, film library, gymnasiums and machine-shops.


''Istituto Nautico "Alfredo Cappellini"''

The Nautical Institute Alfredo Cappellini was formed on 13 December 1863, with a Royal Law and it was the first Technical Institute in the
Province of Livorno The province of Livorno () or, traditionally, province of Leghorn, is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the city of Liv ...
. In 1921 it was transferred under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Navy then returned to the Ministry of Education. The school give the professional preparation to form the Merchant navy Officers.


'' Liceo Classico "Niccolini Palli"''

The ''
Liceo Classico The ''liceo classico'' or ''ginnasio'' () is the oldest public secondary education in Italy, secondary school type in Italy. Its educational curriculum spans over five years, when students are generally about 14 to 19 years of age. Until 196 ...
Niccolini'' was established on 10 March 1860 by law of Terenzio Mamiani, then Ministry of the Public Instruction. The first '' Preside'' elected was Luigi De Steffani who remained in charge from 1862 to 1867. The Liceo was entitled to
Giovanni Battista Niccolini Giovanni Battista Niccolini (29 October 1782 – 20 September 1861) was an Italian poet and playwright of the Italian unification movement or Risorgimento. Life In 1782, Niccolini was born in Bagni San Giuliano to a family of limited means. He ...
,
Ugo Foscolo Ugo Foscolo (; 6 February 177810 September 1827), born Niccolò Foscolo, was an Italian writer, revolutionary and poet. He is especially remembered for his 1807 long poem ''Dei Sepolcri''. Early life Foscolo was born in Zakynthos in the Ionia ...
's friend, in 1862; in 1883 it was named to
Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi (12 August 1804 – 25 September 1873) was an Italian writer and politician involved in the Italian Risorgimento. Biography Guerrazzi was born in the seaport of Livorno, then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. He s ...
; the name came into effect in 1889 and remained until the unification of the ''Liceo'' with the '' Istituto magistrale''. The most famous professor was
Giovanni Pascoli Giovanni Placido Agostino Pascoli (; 31 December 1855 – 6 April 1912) was an Italian poet, classical scholar and an emblematic figure of Italian literature in the late nineteenth century. Alongside Gabriele D'Annunzio, he was one of the grea ...
who taught
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
and
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
from 1887 to 1895. Among the pupils were
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
,
Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi ( ; ; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegraphy, wireless tel ...
,
Amedeo Modigliani Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (; ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the École de Paris who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern art, modern style characterized by a surre ...
,
Giosuè Borsi Giosuè is an Italian male given name, cognate to English Joshua. Notable people and characters with the name include: People * Giosuè Argenti, Italian sculptor * Giosuè Bonomi, Italian bicycle racer * Giosuè Carducci, Italian poet * Giosuè Cat ...
and
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (; 9 December 1920 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian politician, statesman and banker who was the President of Italy from 1999 to 2006 and the Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994. A World War II veteran, C ...
, who was teacher in 1945.


Library


Biblioteca Labronica

The on the Viale della Libertà was founded in 1816, by the fellows of the ''Accademia Labronica'', which was made public in 1840 and it was given to the Comune in 1854. The civic library was dedicated to Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi in 1923 and take place in ''Villa Fabbricotti''. According to the tradition, the origin of the villa date back to the Medicean period when an edifice was built as a suburban residence for
Ferdinando II de' Medici Ferdinando II de' Medici (14 July 1610 – 23 May 1670) was grand duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670. He was the eldest son of Cosimo II de' Medici and Maria Maddalena of Austria. Remembered by his contemporaries as a man of culture and scie ...
. ''Villa Fabbricotti'' received the name from its last owner Bernardo Fabbricotti from
Carrara Carrara ( ; ; , ) is a town and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey Carrara marble, marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some Boxing the compass, ...
, who acquired it from the English merchant Thomas Lloyd in 1881. Fabbricotti, following to adverse economic affairs, sold the Villa and the park to the
Comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
in 1936. During World War II the building was used by the German command as headquarters, and later taken by the American forces; in the post-war period was restored in order to adapt it into library. In the warehouse of the ''Biblioteca Labronica'' are stored: 120,000 books, 1,500
manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...
s, 117
incunable An incunable or incunabulum (: incunables or incunabula, respectively) is a book, pamphlet, or broadside that was printed in the earliest stages of printing in Europe, up to the year 1500. The specific date is essentially arbitrary, but the ...
s, 2,000 cinquecentine (is a book printed in the 16th century) and 60,000
autograph An autograph is a person's own handwriting or signature. The word ''autograph'' comes from Ancient Greek (, ''autós'', "self" and , ''gráphō'', "write"), and can mean more specifically: Gove, Philip B. (ed.), 1981. ''Webster's Third New Intern ...
s; the library is organized with reading rooms with 80 places of capacity, 18 seats for consultation of manuscripts, 4 internet positions and a conference room with 60 seats. The library has a collection of autographs including those of
Galileo Galilei Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...
and
Giacomo Leopardi Count Giacomo Taldegardo Francesco di Sales Saverio Pietro Leopardi (29 June 1798 – 14 June 1837) was an Italian philosopher, poet, essayist, and philologist. Considered the greatest Italian poet of the 19th century and one of the greatest a ...
, manuscripts by
Ugo Foscolo Ugo Foscolo (; 6 February 177810 September 1827), born Niccolò Foscolo, was an Italian writer, revolutionary and poet. He is especially remembered for his 1807 long poem ''Dei Sepolcri''. Early life Foscolo was born in Zakynthos in the Ionia ...
, and ancient books printed in Livorno since the 17th century, including the ''
Encyclopédie , better known as ''Encyclopédie'' (), was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. It had many writers, known as the Encyclopédistes. It was edited by Denis ...
'' printed in 1770 in Livorno by the ancient ''Bagno dei forzati'' (
Gaol A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various cri ...
of the
convicts A convict is "a person found Guilt (law), guilty of a crime and Sentence (law), sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a commo ...
).


Media

;Il Tirreno is a regional
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
, printed and published in Livorno and distributed in
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
. also features sixteen local editions around the whole region. ;Il Vernacoliere '' Il Vernacoliere'' is a satirical monthly magazine printed in Livorno founded in 1982 and distributed in central Italy.


People

* Luca Agamennoni (born 1980), rower *
Andrea Aghini Andrea Aghini Lombardi (born 29 December 1963 in Livorno, Tuscany) is an Italian rally driver. He won the 1992 Rallye Sanremo and took four other podium finishes in the World Rally Championship from 1992 to 1995. In 1992, he also won the Race of ...
(born 1963), retired rally driver *
Romano Albani Romano Albani (born 25 September 1945) was an Italian cinematographer and camera operator. Career Albani started his career with commercials. His film credits include Marco Ferreri's ''La Dernière femme'' (U.S. title: ''The Last Woman'') (1 ...
(born 1945), cinematographer *
Massimiliano Allegri Massimiliano "Max" Allegri (; born 11 August 1967) is an Italian professional Association football, football manager and former professional player. He is currently manager of Serie A club AC Milan. During his playing career, Allegri played in ...
(born 1967), former football player, football coach *
Mario Ancona Mario Ancona (28 February 1860 – 23 February 1931), was a leading Italian baritone and master of bel canto singing. He appeared at some of the most important opera houses in Europe and America during what is commonly referred to as the "Gold ...
(1860–1931), Jewish opera baritone *
Domenico Angelo Domenico Angelo (1716 Livorno, Grand Duchy of Tuscany – 1802, Twickenham, England), was an Italian sword and fencing master who became the celebrated swordsman of mid-eighteenth English society. He earned fame not only with his brilliant skil ...
(1716–1802), fencing master, author * Federigo Luigi Appelius (1835–1876), naturalist *
Chaim Joseph David Azulai Haim Yosef David Azulai ben Yitzhak Zerachia (; 1724 – 1 March 1806), commonly known as the Hida (also spelled Chida, the acronym of his name, ), was a Jerusalem born rabbi, rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publica ...
(1724–1807), prolific Rabbinic scholar *
Angiolo Badaloni Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name * Angelo Abenante (1927–2024), Italian trade unionist and politician * Angelo Accardi, Italian visual artist * Angelo Acc ...
(1849–1920), engineer *
Baldo Baldi Baldo Baldi (19 February 1888 – 21 December 1961) was an Italian fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil and sabre events at the 1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympi ...
(1888–1961), fencer *
Andrea Baldini Andrea Baldini (born 19 December 1985) is an Italian foil fencer, several time European and World champion and team Olympic champion in 2012. He is the only foil fencer in history to have obtained four golds (European and World - individual and ...
(born 1985), fencer, World Champion * David Balleri (born 1969), footballer * Giovanni Bartolena (1866–1942), painter * Enzo Bartolini (1914–1998), rower * Piero Barontini (1919–2003), painter * Leonardo Bellandi (born 2000), Italian footballer * Rabbi
Elijah Benamozegh Elijah Benamozegh (24 April 1823 – 6 February 1900), sometimes Elia or Eliyahu, was an Italian Sephardic Orthodox rabbi and renowned Jewish Kabbalist, highly respected in his day as one of Italy's most eminent Jewish scholars. He served for ...
(1822–1900), rabbi and scholar of
Kabbalah Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...
*
Malachi ben Jacob Malachi ben Jacob ha-Kohen (also known as the Yad Malachi) Montefoscoli (1695/1700? – 1772) was a renowned Talmudist, methodologist, and one of the greatest Kabbalists of the 18th century. He was a student of the famous kabbalist Rabbi Joseph Erga ...
*
Bino Bini Bino Bini (23 January 1900 – 5 April 1974) was an Italian fencer. He won a gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics and a silver and bronze at the 1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the IX Olympiad (), ...
*
Lidia Biondi Lidia Biondi (3 February 1941 – 14 June 2016), often credited as Lydia Biondi, was an Italian film and television actress who appeared in more than 40 Italian and foreign films since the 1960s. Her international film credits included ''Eat Pray ...
, actress *
Giotto Bizzarrini Giotto Bizzarrini (6 June 1926 – 13 May 2023) was an Italian automobile engineer who was active from the 1950s through the 1970s. After graduating from the University of Pisa in 1953, Bizzarrini eventually joined Alfa Romeo as a test driver. ...
* Bernardetto Borromei (?–1610), first Gonfaloniere *
Ranieri de' Calzabigi Ranieri de' Calzabigi (; 23 December 1714 – July 1795) was an Italian poet and librettist, most famous for his collaboration with the composer Christoph Willibald Gluck on his "reform" operas. Born in Livorno, Calzabigi spent the 1750s in Paris, ...
*
Giuseppe Cambini Giuseppe Maria Gioacchino Cambini (Montelupo Fiorentino, 8 april 1746Netherlands? 1810s? or Paris? 1825?) was an Italian composer and violinist. Life Unconfirmed information Information about his life is scarcely traceable. Louis-Gabriel Michaud,L ...
*
Leonetto Cappiello Leonetto Cappiello (9 April 1875 – 2 February 1942) was an Italian and French poster art designer and painter, who mainly lived and worked in Paris.
(1875–1942), painter *
Federico Caprilli Captain Federico Caprilli (8 April 1868 - 6 December 1907) was an Italian cavalry officer and equestrian who revolutionized the jumping seat. His position, now called the " forward seat," formed the modern-day technique used by all jumping riders ...
(1868–1946), cavalry officer, equestrian *
Giorgio Caproni Giorgio Caproni (Livorno, 7 January 1912 – 22 January 1990, Rome) was an Italian poet, literary critic and translator, especially from French. His work was also part of the literature event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics. ...
(1912–1990), poet * Fortunato Cassone (1828–1889), commander of Regia Accademia Navale * David Castelli (1836–1901), Jewish Biblical scholar *
Diacinto Cestoni Diacinto (or Giacinto) Cestoni (May 13, 1637 – January 29, 1718) was an Italian naturalist, biologist, botanist, entomologist. Born in Montegiorgio, he was self-taught. He lived and worked at Livorno where he led an apothecary next to the por ...
(1637–1718), naturalist *
Mario Checcacci Mario Checcacci (19 April 1910 – 17 January 1987) was an Italian rower who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was born in Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It ...
* Pierluigi Chicca *
Giorgio Chiellini Giorgio Chiellini (; born 14 August 1984) is an Italian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football)#Centre-back, centre-back or Defender (association football)#Full-back, left-back. Consi ...
(born 1984), football player *
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (; 9 December 1920 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian politician, statesman and banker who was the President of Italy from 1999 to 2006 and the Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994. A World War II veteran, C ...
(1920–2016), former President of the Republic of Italy * Piero Ciampi (1934–1980), musician *
Costanzo Ciano Costanzo Ciano, 1st Count of Cortellazzo (; 30 August 1876 – 26 June 1939) was an Italian naval officer and politician. He was the father of Galeazzo Ciano. Biography Early life Born at Livorno, he was the son of Raimondo Ciano and his wife, ...
* Gian Galeazzo Ciano (1903–1944), Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benito Mussolini's son-in-law * Arduíno Colassanti *
Antonio Corazzi Antonio Corazzi (1792-1877) was an Italian architect working in Poland from 1819 to 1847, mainly in Neoclassical style. Biography Antonio Corazzi was the son of an impresario of the Avalorati Theatre in Livorno. In 1811, after graduating fro ...
*
Vittorio Matteo Corcos Vittorio Matteo Corcos (4 October 1859 – 8 November 1933) was an Italian painter, known for his portraits. Many of his Genre painting, genre works depict winsome and finely dressed young men and women, in moments of repose and recreation. Biog ...
(1859–1933), painter *
Moses Cordovero Moses Cordovero was a physician who lived at Leghorn (Livorno), Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florenc ...
, leading scholar and Kabbalist *
Giovanni de Gamerra Giovanni de Gamerra (26 December 1742 – 29 August 1803) was an Italian cleric, a playwright, and a poet. He is best known as a prolific librettist. Gamerra was born in Livorno, and worked from 1771 at the Teatro Regio Ducale in Milan  ...
*
Serafino De Tivoli Serafino De Tivoli (March 18261892) was an Italian painter of the Macchiaioli group, often referred to as "the father of the ''macchia''" in recognition of his crucial influence on the group's innovative technique. Biography Serafino De Tivol ...
* Pio Alberto Del Corona (1837–1912), bishop *
Paolo Emilio Demi Paolo is a masculine given name, the Italian form of the name Paul. It may refer to: People Art * Paolo Abbate (1884–1973), Italian-American sculptor * Paolo Alboni (1671–1734), Italian painter * Paolo Antonio Barbieri (1603–1649), Ital ...
(1798–1863), sculptor *
Manlio Di Rosa Manlio Di Rosa (11 September 1914 – 15 March 1989) was an Italian fencing, fencer. He won two golds, two silvers and bronze at four different Olympic Games. See also *Italy national fencing team#Multiple medalists, Italy national fencing t ...
*
Marco Di Viesti Marco may refer to: People Given name * Marco (actor) (born 1977), South Korean model and actor Surname * Georg Marco (1863–1923), Romanian chess player of German origin * Jindřich Marco (1921–2000), Czechoslovak photographer and numisma ...
, football player * Dino Diluca * Giulio Dolci (1883–1965), literate *
Federigo Enriques Abramo Giulio Umberto Federigo Enriques (5 January 1871 – 14 June 1946) was an Italian mathematician, now known principally as the first to give a classification of algebraic surfaces in birational geometry, and other contributions in algebrai ...
*
Paolo Enriques Paolo Enriques (17 August 1878 in Livorno – 26 December 1932 in Rome) was an Italian zoologist of Portuguese-Jewish descent. He was the brother of mathematician Federigo Enriques and the brother-in-law of another mathematician Guido Castelnuov ...
(1878–1932), zoologist (genetics) *
Giovanni Fattori Giovanni Fattori (September 6, 1825August 30, 1908) was an Italian artist, one of the leaders of the group known as the Macchiaioli. He was initially a painter of historical themes and military subjects. In his middle years, inspired by the Bar ...
(1825–1908), painter * Bruno Filippi * Giorgio Fontanelli (1925–1993), professor, poet, essayist *
Voltolino Fontani Voltolino Fontani (1920 in Livorno, Italia – 1976) was an Italian painter. Header He was an artist who contributed to introduce the expression Atomic age in the European culture. He was the founder of Eaismo, an artistic movement linking arts t ...
(1920–1976), painter *
Anna Franchi Anna Franchi (15 January 1867 – 4 December 1954) was an Italian novelist, translator, playwright and journalist. Biography Early life Franchi was born into the well-to-do Livorno family of Cesare Franchi, a merchant, and his wife Iginia R ...
(1867-1954), novelist, playwright * Alberto Fremura (born 1936), artist * Angelo Froglia (1955–1997), painter and creator of the scandal of the heads of Modigliani *
Vivi Gioi Vivi Gioi (born Vivienne Trumpy; 2 January 1917 – 12 July 1975) was an Italian actress. Her alternative professional last name Diesca was an anagram of De Sica, the famous actor and director with whom she was in love. She is remembered for '' ...
(1914–1975) actress * Filippo Gragnani (1768–1820), virtuoso guitarist and composer * Gino Graziani (1893–1976) President of the Chamber of Commerce of Livorno during the reconstruction after the Second World War, Industrialist *
Oreste Grossi Oreste Grossi (14 March 1912 – 16 February 2008) was an Italian rower who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was born and died in Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of I ...
*
Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi (12 August 1804 – 25 September 1873) was an Italian writer and politician involved in the Italian Risorgimento. Biography Guerrazzi was born in the seaport of Livorno, then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. He s ...
(1804–1873), writer and politician *
Marzio Innocenti Marzio Innocenti (born 4 September 1958, in Livorno) is a former Italians, Italian rugby union player and coach and current sports director. He played as a Flanker (rugby union), flanker and a Number eight (rugby union), number 8. Since 21 March 2 ...
, former captain of Italy national rugby union team * Abraham Khalfon (1741–1819),
Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...
Jewish community leader, historian, and scholar *
Aurelio Lampredi Aurelio Lampredi (16 June 1917 – 1 June 1989) was an Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer. Early career Lampredi was born in Livorno, Tuscany. He studied mechanical engineering at the Institut Technique Supérieur in Fribourg. A cl ...
*
Dario Lari Dario Lari (born 22 October 1979 in Livorno) is a rower from Italy. He competed for his native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athe ...
* Gio Batta Lepori (1911–2002), painter * Francis Levett, English merchant, the
Levant Company The Levant Company was an English chartered company formed in 1592. Elizabeth I of England approved its initial charter on 11 September 1592 when the Venice Company (1583) and the Turkey Company (1581) merged, because their charters had expired, ...
* Augusto Liverani (1858–1929), educator * Llewelyn Lloyd (1879–1949), painter *
Alessandro Lucarelli Alessandro Lucarelli ( born 22 July 1977) is an Italian former professional association football, footballer who last played for Parma Calcio 1913, Parma as a Defender (association football), defender. Playing career Alessandro Lucarelli starte ...
(born 1977), football player *
Cristiano Lucarelli Cristiano Lucarelli (; born 4 October 1975) is an Italian football manager and a former player who played as a forward. Club career Lucarelli was born in Livorno, Italy. A journeyman striker, he had stints with eight different teams (includ ...
(born 1975), football player, top scorer of
Serie A The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
in 2004–05 *
Mario Magnozzi Mario Magnozzi (; 20 March 1902 – 25 June 1971) was an Italian Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics with the Italy national football team, Italy natio ...
*
Vincenzo Malenchini Vincenzo is an Italian male given name, derived from the Latin name Vincentius (the verb ''vincere'' means to win or to conquer). Notable people with the name include: Art * Vincenzo Amato (born 1966), Italian actor and sculptor * Vincenzo Bel ...
(1813–1881), lawyer, patriot * Giovanni Marradi (1852–1922) poet, writer, patriot and politician *
Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece '' Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ...
(1863–1945), opera composer * Davide Matteini *
Matteo Mazzantini Matteo Mazzantini (born Livorno, 24 October 1976)Matteo Mazzantini player profile
Scrum.co ...
(born 1976), rugby player * Luca Mazzoni * Enrico Mayer (1802–1877), pedagogist, writer *
Umberto Melnati Umberto Melnati (17 June 1897 – 30 March 1979) was an Italian film actor He appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1962. He starred in films such as the Mario Mattoli 1936 film ''L'uomo che sorride'' and ''Il signor Max'' (1937). He ...
*
Guido Menasci Guido Menasci (24 March 1867 – 27 December 1925) was an Italian opera librettist. His best-known work is ''Cavalleria rusticana'' written with Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti. He also provided the libretti for Mascagni's'' I Rantzau'', '' Zanett ...
* Carlo Meyer (1837–1897), engineer, patriot *
Amedeo Modigliani Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (; ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the École de Paris who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern art, modern style characterized by a surre ...
(1884–1920), Painter and sculptor, famous for the paintings of long-necked women * Aldo Montano (born 1978), fencer, Olympic gold medalist * Moses Haim Montefiore (1784–1885), Jewish financier and philanthropist in Britain * Rabbi
Sabato Morais Sabato Morais (; April 13, 1823 – November 11, 1897) was an Italian-American rabbi of Portuguese descent, leader of Mikveh Israel Synagogue in Philadelphia, pioneer of Italian Jewish Studies in America, and founder of the Jewish Theolog ...
(1823–1897), rabbi in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, USA, and founder of the
Jewish Theological Seminary of America The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is a Conservative Jewish education organization in New York City, New York. It is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism as well as a hub for academic scholarship in Jewish studies ...
in New York City * Fabrizio Mori * Alfredo Muller (1869–1940), artist *
Aldo Nadi Aldo Nadi (29 April 1899 – 10 November 1965) was an Italian fencing champion. Biography Aldo was born into a fencing family in Livorno, Italy, and both Aldo and his brother Nedo Nadi were fencers from a very young age. They were both taught ...
*
Nedo Nadi Nedo Nadi (9 June 1894 – 29 January 1940) was one of the best Italian fencers of all time. He is the only fencer to win a gold medal in each of the three weapons at a single Olympic Games and won the most fencing gold medals ever at a singl ...
(1894–1940), won 5 gold medals in fencing at the
1920 Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...
*
Renato Natali Renato Natali (10 May 1883 – 7 March 1979) was an Italian painter, member of the post-Macchiaioli group of painters in Livorno during the first half of the 20th century. He often painted proletarian neighborhoods of the industrial port city of Li ...
(1883–1979) Painter, heir to the Macchiaioli and Impressionists, founder of the Grppo Labronico * Alessandro Neri (1820–1896), patriot * Adriano Novi Lena (1840–1888), lawyer, Member of Parliament *
Angeliki Palli Angelica Palli (1798 – 1875) was an Italian writer of Greek ancestry, translator and early feminist. Her literary salon attracted intellectuals of the time. Biography The daughter of a rich Greek merchant, she was born in Livorno, Tuscany ...
writer *
Giorgio Pellini Giorgio Pellini (20 July 1923 – 14 June 1986) was an Italian fencer. He won three silver medals, one at the 1948 Summer Olympics and two more at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He also competed at the 1955 Mediterranean Games The 1955 Mediterrane ...
*
Armando Picchi Armando Picchi (; 20 June 1935 – 27 May 1971) was an Italian football player and coach. Regularly positioned as a libero, he captained the Inter Milan side known as "La Grande Inter". Club career Early career Born in Livorno, Picchi starte ...
(1935–1971), football player and manager * Enrico Pollastrini *
Oreste Puliti Oreste Puliti (18 February 1891 – 5 February 1958) was an Italian fencer. He won four gold medals and a silver at three Olympic Games. His teammates were accused of attempting to inflate his score by losing to him in the final of the Men ...
*
Ottorino Quaglierini Ottorino Quaglierini (18 May 1915 – 26 July 1992), born in Livorno, was an Italian Rowing (sport), rower who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. On 15 August 1936 he won the silver medal as crew member of the Italian boat (Guglielmo Del ...
* Giulia Quintavalle *
Dario Resta Dario Raoul Resta (17 August 1882 – 3 September 1924), was a British racing driver. He is best remembered for his successes racing Championship Car, Indy cars in the United States. The 1916 AAA Championship Car season, 1916 American National ...
(1884–1924), race car driver,
Indy 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
winner * Rolando Rigoli * Eugenio Sansoni (1828–1906), first mayor from 1865 to 1867 *
Giovanni Schmidt Giovanni Schmidt ( in Livorno – in Naples) was an Italian librettist. Life He moved to Naples while he was still young and stayed there for the rest of his life. Between 1800 and 1839 he wrote libretti for 45 operas, especially for the Teatro S ...
* Dante Secchi *
Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was an English writer who is considered one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame durin ...
*
Hezekiah da Silva Hezekiah da Silva (, also Hezekiah Silva; 1659–1698) was a rabbi and Jewish author born in Livorno, Grand Duchy of Tuscany. He was the son-in-law of the dayan Mordechai Rafael Malachi. Biography Hezekiah Da Silva was born in 1659 in Livorno, ...
*
Mauro Simonetti Mauro Simonetti (14 July 1948) was an Italian professional road bicycle racer. As an amateur he won a bronze medal in the team road race at the 1968 Olympics. After that he rode professionally between 1970 and 1979. Major results ;1970 :Gran P ...
*
Mauro Sordi Mauro may refer to: Given name * Mauro (footballer, born 1932), Brazilian footballer * Mauro Silva (footballer, born 1978), Brazilian footballer * Mauro (footballer, born 1984), Portuguese footballer * Bruno Mauro (born 1973), Angolan footballe ...
(1916–1989), biologist, director of Livorno Aquarium *
Athos Tanzini Athos Tanzini (30 January 1913 – 28 September 2008) was an Italian fencer. He won a silver medal in the team sabre event at the 1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officia ...
*
Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti (17 March 186330 May 1934) was an Italian librettist. Biography He was best known for his friendship and collaboration with the composer Pietro Mascagni. Most of his libretti were written in collaboration with Guido ...
* Giuseppe Maria Terreni (1739–1811), painter * Rabbi
Elio Toaff Elio Toaff (30 April 1915 – 19 April 2015) was the Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1951 to 2002. He served as a rabbi in Venice from 1947, and in 1951 became the Chief Rabbi of Rome. Early life Toaff was born in Livorno in 1915, the son of the city' ...
(1915–2015), Chief rabbi of Rome * Ilaria Tocchini * Angiolo Tommasi (1858–1923), artist * Dino Urbani *
Samuel Uziel Samuel Uziel was a Talmudist and scholar of the 17th century, rabbi of Livorno. He is mentioned in a responsum in the collection ''Mayim Rabbim'' of Raphael Meldola Raphael Meldola FRS (19 July 1849 – 16 November 1915) was a British chem ...
(17th century), rabbi and Talmudist * Antonio Vinciguerra (born 1937), sculptor, painter, designer *
Paolo Virzì Paolo Virzì (; born 4 March 1964) is an Italian film director, writer and producer. Early life and work Virzì was born in Livorno, Italy, in 1964, as the son of a Sicilian police officer in the Carabinieri and a former singer. After spendin ...
(born 1964), film screenwriter and director *
Filippo Volandri Filippo Volandri (; born 5 September 1981) is an Italian tennis coach and former professional player. Volandri reached a career-high singles ranking of world no. 25 in July 2007. He turned professional in 1997 and earned almost $4 million in priz ...
, tennis player


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Livorno is twinned with: *
Bat Yam Bat Yam ( ) is a city on Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast, on the Central Coastal Plain just south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area and the Tel Aviv District. In , it had a population of . History British Mandate Bat Y ...
, Israel *
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...
, Spain *
Haiphong Haiphong or Hai Phong (, ) is the third-largest city in Vietnam and is the principal port city of the Red River Delta. The municipality has an area of , consisting of 8 urban districts, 6 rural districts and 1 municipal city (sub-city). Two o ...
, Vietnam *
Novorossiysk Novorossiysk (, ; ) is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is one of the largest ports on the Black Sea. It is one of the few cities designated by the Soviet Union as a Hero City. The population was History In antiquity, the shores of the ...
, Russia *
Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
, U.S.


Gallery

File:Livorno FossoReale.JPG, Fosso Reale File:Quartiere san Jacopo Livorno.JPG, View of the western part of Livorno File:Livorno bastioni della Fortezza Vecchia.JPG, Old Fortress File:Livorno-Fortezzanuova3.JPG, New Fortress File:Duomo Livorno.JPG,
Duomo ''Duomo'' (, ) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. The Duomo of Monza, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definitio ...
of Livorno File:Livorno Castello del Boccale.JPG, The Boccale Castle File:Livorno, Monumento dei quattro mori a Ferdinando II (1626) - Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto, 13-4-2006 01.jpg, Monumento dei Quattro Mori File:Piazza della Repubblica Livorno.JPG, Piazza della Repubblica File:Livorno, chiesa olandese nel 2008.jpg,
Temple of the Dutch German Congregation The Dutch German Church (It. ''Tempio della Congregazione Olandese Alemanna'', literally Temple of the Dutch German Congregation) in Livorno, Italy, is on the stretch of the Fosso Reale canal that runs between Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Ca ...
File:Accademia Navale, Livorno.JPG, The
Italian Naval Academy The Italian Naval Academy (Italian: ''Accademia Navale'') is a coeducational military university in Livorno, which is responsible for the technical training of military officers of the Italian Navy. History The Hospitals The Hospital of St. Jame ...
File:Livorno -Teatro Goldoni- interno.jpg, The Goldoni Theatre File:Edificio di livorno 02.JPG, Livorno's synagogue File:Livorno-Terrazza Mascagni.JPG, The Terrazza Mascagni File:Livorno Piazza Matteotti skyscraper 01 @chesi.JPG, Grattacielo File:Galliano-and-glass.jpg, Galliano liqueur from Livorno


See also

*
Azienda Trasporti Livornese Azienda Trasporti Livornese, known as ATL, was a public company that managed the local public transport in Livorno and its province including Elba. History The decision to provide Livorno with a public transport system dates back to 1875 with a ...
*
Battle of Leghorn The naval Battle of Leghorn took place on 4 March 1653 (14 March Gregorian calendar), during the First Anglo-Dutch War, near Leghorn (Livorno), Italy. It was a victory of a Dutch Republic, Dutch squadron under Commodore (rank), Commodore Johan ...
*
History of the Jews in Livorno The history of the Jews in Livorno (; or ), Italy, has been documented since 1583, when descendants of the late 15th-century and early 16th-century Expulsion of Jews from Spain, expulsions from Spain and Portugal settled in the city. They were ...
*
Livorno Hills The Livorno Hills (also known as Leghorn Hills, or in Italian as the Colline Livornesi) is a mountain range, hill range in Tuscany, included in the municipalities of Livorno, Collesalvetti and Rosignano Marittimo, and in the Province of Livorno. ...
*
Port of Livorno The Port of Livorno is one of the largest Italian seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Mediterranean Sea, with an annual traffic capacity of around 30 million tonnes of cargo and 700,000 TEU's. The port is also an important employer ...


References


Notes


Sources

* *Villani, Stefano,
Livorno: Diversis Gentibus Una
'' Giovanni Tarantino, Paola Von Wyss-Giacosa, eds, ''Twelve Cities – One Sea Early Modern Mediterranean Port Cities and their Inhabitants'', Roma, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, pp. 37-53


External links


Municipal website

Port of Livorno website



Ferdinando I De Medici, Document Inviting Jewish Merchants to Settle in Livorno and Pisa, in Italian, Manuscript on Vellum, Florence, Italy, 10 June 1593 (fac-simile)

Livorno Video Tour

Livorno Boat Tour along the Medicean canals
{{Authority control Coastal towns in Tuscany Historic Jewish communities