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Viareggio () is a city and ''
comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' in northern
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
, Italy, on the coast of the
Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; it, Mar Tirreno , french: Mer Tyrrhénienne , sc, Mare Tirrenu, co, Mari Tirrenu, scn, Mari Tirrenu, nap, Mare Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian pe ...
. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city within the
province of Lucca The province of Lucca ( it, provincia di Lucca) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lucca. It has an area of and a total population of about 390,000. There are 33 ''comuni'' (singular: ''comune'') in the pro ...
, after
Lucca 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 has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one o ...
. It is known as a seaside resort as well as being the home of the famous
carnival of Viareggio The Carnival of Viareggio ( it, Carnevale di Viareggio) is a carnival event annually held in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, in Italy. It is considered amongst the most renowned carnival celebrations in both Italy and Europe. Overview Its main ...
(dating back to 1873), and its
papier-mâché upright=1.3, Mardi Gras papier-mâché masks, Haiti upright=1.3, Papier-mâché Catrinas, traditional figures for day of the dead celebrations in Mexico Papier-mâché (, ; , literally "chewed paper") is a composite material consisting of p ...
floats, which (since 1925), parade along the promenade known as "Passeggiata a mare", in the weeks of
Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
. The symbol of the carnival of Viareggio and its official mask is
Burlamacco The Carnival of Viareggio ( it, Carnevale di Viareggio) is a carnival event annually held in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, in Italy. It is considered amongst the most renowned carnival celebrations in both Italy and Europe. Overview Its main ...
, designed and invented by Uberto Bonetti in 1930. The city traces its roots back to the first half of the 16th century when it became the only gate to the sea for the
Republic of Lucca The Republic of Lucca ( it, Repubblica di Lucca) was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Lucca in Tuscany, which lasted from 1160 to 1805. Its territory extended beyond the city of Lucca, reaching the surr ...
. The oldest building in Viareggio, known as Torre Matilde, dates back to this time and was built by the Lucchesi in 1541 as a defensive fortification to fight the constant menace of corsair incursions. Viareggio is also an active industrial and manufacturing centre; its shipbuilding industry has long been renowned around the world and its fishing and
floricultural Floriculture, or flower farming, is a branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry. The development of new varieties by plant breeding i ...
industries are still fundamental sectors to the city's economy. Viareggio hosts the Premio letterario Viareggio Répaci for literature, established in 1929. Amongst the other events organized around the year, it is worth mentioning the ''Festival Gaber'', which has been held every August since 2004 to celebrate the memory of
Giorgio Gaber Giorgio Gaber (), byname of Giorgio Gaberscik (25 January 1939 – 1 January 2003), was an Italian singer, composer, actor, and playwright. He was also an accomplished guitar player and author of one of the first rock songs in Italian ("Ciao ti ...
, and is attended by several high-profile Italian musicians.


History


Coat of arms

The current coat of arms was chosen in 1848 and replaces the previous one dating back to 1752, which showed an image of
Saint Anthony from Padua Anthony of Padua ( it, Antonio di Padova) or Anthony of Lisbon ( pt, António/Antônio de Lisboa; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese people, Portuguese Catholic Church, Catholic priesthood (Cath ...
, the first patron saint of the city. The current coat of arms consists of an anchor with a hawser placed on top of a white, red and green shield. Viareggio was one of the first municipalities to adopt the tricolore (later to become the official flag of the unified Italy) for its coat of arm; even before Italy was officially unified.


Ancient and medieval ages

During the 3rd century BC, the mountains of Versilia were slowly invaded by the Ligurian tribes who, coming from the north, stretched their area of influence as far south as the river
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 s ...
. In 180 BC the Romans defeated the Ligurians and started colonising the Versilia (the areas known today as Massaciuccoli,
Camaiore Camaiore is a city and ''comune'' of 32,513 inhabitants within the province of Lucca, Tuscany, central-western Italy. It stretches from the Apuan Alps to the east, to the plains and the coast of Versilia to the west. History Camaiore has Roman or ...
,
Pietrasanta Pietrasanta is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Pietrasanta is part of Versilia, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about north of Pisa. The town is located off the coast, where the ...
). The most widely accepted theory recognises the city's name as deriving from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''Via Regis'' ("Kings' Road"), the name of the Medieval road linking the fortification built on the beach to
Lucca 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 has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one o ...
. According to other historians, instead, the name derives from ''Vicus Regius''. This theory is based on the fact that in imperial times, there was a small inhabited centre (''vicus'') in the area known as "Gli Ortacci" which belonged to the empire, hence ''regius'' ("Royal"). Several hillside towns started developing in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, some of which are still active. The area currently hosting the city of Viareggio was still marshland and not inhabited. Around 1000 A.D. the first hostilities between
Lucca 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 has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one o ...
and
Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' 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 its leaning tower, the cit ...
arose, aimed at gaining control over the coast of the Versila, which since the High Middle Ages had been nothing more than a forest owned by feudal lords in constant rivalry with each other. The first mention of Viareggio dates back to 1169 when a wooden tower guarding the coast was built. A little over two years later, in (1172) a military building named ''Turris de Via Regia'' was erected, taking its name from the road that linked it to Lucca (known today as via Montramito). In the following years the area around Viareggio, was involved in the hostilities between Pisa and Lucca, in their attempt to gain control over the coastal area. The conflict was spurred by the desire of the Lucchesi to finally gain access to the sea, and to the Pisane fear of the economic competition of its rival city. It is during these years that the feudal Lords of Versilia were forced to abdicate in favour of
Castruccio Castracani Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli (; 1281 – 3 September 1328) was an Italian ''condottiero'' and duke of Lucca. Biography Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he w ...
. In the following years the area upon which Viareggio would eventually be built was marked by a number of minor battles, invasions and pillages. In addition, the area was also affected by the pestilence which, recounted by
Giovanni Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio (, , ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so well known as a writer that he was somet ...
in his masterpiece the ''
Decameron ''The Decameron'' (; it, label=Italian, Decameron or ''Decamerone'' ), subtitled ''Prince Galehaut'' (Old it, Prencipe Galeotto, links=no ) and sometimes nicknamed ''l'Umana commedia'' ("the Human comedy", as it was Boccaccio that dubbed Dan ...
'', spread throughout the whole of Italy.


15th through 17th centuries

In these years
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
expanded its control over
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
. Lucca, however, managed to maintain its independence in exchange for hefty financial penalties. On September 10, 1513,
Pope Leo X Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521. Born into the prominent political an ...
removed the port of Motrone from the control of Lucca. This directly affected the future of Viareggio which, from that moment, became the focus of Lucca's efforts to turn the town into its centre for commercial activities, and, in addition to the square-plan tower erected in (1534) with the aim to protect the port, several settlements started appearing. The 17th century was perhaps one of the most difficult periods for the 300 inhabitants of Viareggio; the area was insalubrious, malaria and other deadly epidemic diseases made the lives of fishermen and farmers extremely difficult. Lucca, on the other hand, increased its efforts to drain the marshlands to improve quality of life and encouraged migration to the new town. Slowly Viareggio changed its appearance; two small churches and as many factories were built, followed by a number of small shops. Meanwhile its port became more active, while the cultivation of the drained fields started.


18th and 19th centuries

In 1701 Viareggio became a ''
comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' (municipality). In 1739, thanks to the work of hydraulics engineer Bernardino Zendrini, the marshlands were finally completely drained and the town turned into a place where noblemen from Lucca came and built their palaces. In May 1799 Viareggio was the centre of a popular uprising against the
Jacobin , logo = JacobinVignette03.jpg , logo_size = 180px , logo_caption = Seal of the Jacobin Club (1792–1794) , motto = "Live free or die"(french: Vivre libre ou mourir) , successor = Pa ...
Club. With the invasion of Italy by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
the Lucchese state was turned into a principality whose sovereignty was given to Felice Baciocchi, although the real power was in the hands of Napoleon's older sister,
Elisa The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (, ) is a commonly used analytical biochemistry assay, first described by Eva Engvall and Peter Perlmann in 1971. The assay uses a solid-phase type of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the presence ...
. Elisa's government was characterised by unpopular measures such as those against the ecclesiastic patrimony. Similarly, most of her financial policies were of dubious effect, although some were welcomed by the locals, such as the adoption of the "Napoleonic Code," the adoption of the metric system, and the introduction of mandatory vaccination against
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
. With the fall of Napoleon and Baciocchi, Viareggio was the centre of several acts of violence. In March 1814 the population openly protested against the French, an event which turned into acts of pure vandalism. Viareggio remained under the control of the Austrians until 1817 when, as part of the agreements from
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 B ...
,
Maria Luisa of Spain Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain (Spanish: ''María Luisa'', German: ''Maria Ludovika''; 24 November 1745 – 15 May 1792) was Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and Grand Duchess of Tuscany as the spouse of Leopold II, ...
was assigned the new
Duchy of Lucca The Duchy of Lucca was a small Italian state existing from 1815 to 1847. It was centered on the city of Lucca. By the Congress of Vienna of 1815 the Duchy was to revert to Tuscany on the end of its Bourbon-Parma line of rulers or when the line wou ...
. The years to come would wipe out any good action that had been taken during the Napoleonic rule, although the new ruler would contribute to the town's expansion by building its first ''marina'' (seaside). In 1820 Viareggio obtained the status of city. Following the death of his mother (March 13, 1824), Charles Louis of Parma took over the government of Lucca and greatly contributed to Viareggio's expansion, by building a new church, a royal casino and two beach resorts, the first ones to be built in Viareggio. On October 5, 1847, Lucca was acquired by the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...
. Viareggio, in this new scenario, developed as a seaside resort for the whole of Tuscany. In 1848 the city adopted its current coat of arms. In these years Viareggio was the destination of many exiled intellectuals of the Italian Risorgimento who were tolerated by the local sovereigns. During these years Viareggio's economy saw a very rapid expansion through its already recognised beach tourism and the newly expanding sailboat industry. Its population increased from 300 in 1740 to 6,549 in 1841.


20th century

The beginning of the 20th century saw again a marked development of the coast and tourism industry, which caused a drastic change to most of the beach. The ''Passeggiata'' or promenade was born, with its cafés and shops, contributing to turning the city into the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea." Wood was very widely used in most buildings, and in 1917, a large portion of the city was lost in fire in only one night. It was only during the fascist era that wood would finally be replaced by other materials. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Viareggio was subject to heavy bombings and entire suburbs of the city were destroyed. After the war, the reconstruction finally began, but the city's appearance had changed dramatically. Today Viareggio is still a renowned seaside resort and is widely famous for its carnival and shipbuilding industry.


21st century

Late in the evening of June 29, 2009, a train carrying
liquified petroleum gas Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas) is a fuel gas which contains a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases, specifically propane, propylene, butylene, isobutane and n-butane. LPG is used as a fuel gas in heating appliances, cooking ...
derailed while approaching Viareggio's railway station. The ensuing explosion killed 32 people, injured many others, and destroyed a large number of homes and families near the station.


Geography

The entire area of Viareggio extends over the
coastal flooding Coastal flooding normally occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged by seawater. The range of a coastal flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coastal land ...
plain of
Versilia Versilia is a part of Tuscany in the north-western province of Lucca and southern part of Massa-Carrara, and is named after the Versilia river. Known for fashionable Riviera resorts, it consists of numerous clubs that are frequented by local celebr ...
. Located on the
Ligurian Sea The Ligurian Sea ( it, Mar Ligure; french: Mer Ligurienne; lij, Mâ Ligure) 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 ...
(although traditionally considered to face the
Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; it, Mar Tirreno , french: Mer Tyrrhénienne , sc, Mare Tirrenu, co, Mari Tirrenu, scn, Mari Tirrenu, nap, Mare Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian pe ...
), it has of sandy beaches, of which are managed by private beach resorts and the remaining are public (most of the public beach is part of the Parco Naturale Regionale Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli. Viareggio borders the local municipalities of
Camaiore Camaiore is a city and ''comune'' of 32,513 inhabitants within the province of Lucca, Tuscany, central-western Italy. It stretches from the Apuan Alps to the east, to the plains and the coast of Versilia to the west. History Camaiore has Roman or ...
,
Massarosa Massarosa is a city and '' comune'' in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. The city is near Lucca and Pisa. The city hosts Massarosa International Piano Competition. Sister cities Massarosa is twinned with: * Gmina Łużna, Poland * T ...
and
Vecchiano Vecchiano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about north of Pisa. It is home to a castle, known as Gaetani or Lanfranchi castle, or as the hermitage of Santa ...
) (PI). The municipal area comprises the
Lake of Massaciuccoli Lake Massaciuccoli (Lago di Massaciuccoli in Italian) is a lake in the Province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. Its surface area is 6.9 km². It is located mainly in the municipality of Massarosa and partly in Torre del Lago, a civil parish of Viar ...
and several canals, the most important ones of which are known as Burlamacca, Farabola, Fossa dell'Abate (bordering the municipality of
Camaiore Camaiore is a city and ''comune'' of 32,513 inhabitants within the province of Lucca, Tuscany, central-western Italy. It stretches from the Apuan Alps to the east, to the plains and the coast of Versilia to the west. History Camaiore has Roman or ...
), and Fosso Le Quindici.


Subdivisions

Viareggio has a single ''
frazione A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...
'', Torre del Lago Puccini, having a population of around 11,000. The city itself is subdivided into four
Circoscrizioni ''Circoscrizione'' (; plural: ''circoscrizioni'') can refer to two different administrative units of Italy. One is an electoral district approximating to the English '' constituency'' but typically the size of a province or region, depending on th ...
: *Circoscrizione no. 1: Torre del Lago Puccini. *Circoscrizione no. 2: Centro Marco Polo. *Circoscrizione no. 3: Darsena/ex Campo d'Aviazione. *Circoscrizione no. 4: Viareggio Nuova.


Climate

The climate is characterised by high levels of humidity (between 60% and 80% of relative humidity in the summer months) and a yearly rainfall of as a result of the proximity of the Apuanian Alps to the coast. The main winds blow from the southeast, the
Libeccio The libeccio (; Leveche ; sh, lebić ; ca, llebeig ; mt, Lbiċ; el, λίβας ; oc, labech ) ; el, γαρμπής, links=no ; it, garbino ; sh, garbin, links=no ; es, garbino, ; oc, garbin ). is the westerly or south-westerly wind wh ...
and the Ponente which batter the coast for two to three days in a row and cause severe storms. During winter months (Dec-Feb), high temperatures can vary between and , while night time temperatures can reach below . In the summer (Jun-Aug), temperatures peak around . The very high summer humidity (average 70%) and low cloud cover can mean that the heat index temperature is or more higher than the air temperature. *Climatic classification: zone D, 1416 GR/G *Atmospheric diffusivity: low, Ibimet CNR 2002


Economy

The primary sectors of Viareggio's economy are tourism, commerce and services, include fishing and
floriculture Floriculture, or flower farming, is a branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry. The development of new varieties by plant breeding is ...
(the flowers of
Versilia Versilia is a part of Tuscany in the north-western province of Lucca and southern part of Massa-Carrara, and is named after the Versilia river. Known for fashionable Riviera resorts, it consists of numerous clubs that are frequented by local celebr ...
). The city also houses prolific
shipyards A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
. At the beginning of the 19th century, craftsmen from Viareggio built small fishing vessels along the banks of the Burlamacca canal. As the century progressed, however, this small
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
activity prospered until it became an internationally acclaimed centre. Nowadays, Viareggio is the main luxury
yachts A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...
producing city in the world thanks to the presence of
shipyards A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
with builders such as Azimut Benetti, Codecasa, Fipa,
Rossinavi Rossinavi, founded in 1980, is an Italian shipyard based in Viareggio and specialized in the construction of full-custom steel and aluminium superyachts. History The Rossi shipyard was born in 1980, when the first unlimited partnership compan ...
,
Perini navi Perini Navi is an Italian shipyard based in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy. Founded in 1983 by Fabio Perini, who pioneered automation and furling systems in large sailing yachts. In December 2021 Perini Navi company has been acquired by the Italian pu ...
and many others.


Culture


Carnival

The Carnival of Viareggio was established in 1873, while the now ever-present
papier mâché Papier may refer to : *paper in French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Polish or German, word that can be found in the following expressions: **Papier-mâché, a construction material made of pieces of paper stuck together using a wet paste **Papier collé, a p ...
– used to build the floats featured during its parades – was first introduced in 1925. The official masks of the Carnival are Burlamacco and Ondina, drawn for the first time in 1930. Since 1954,
RAI RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
broadcasts the entire event on national TV. Since 2001, the craftsmen of the carnival have moved to the Cittadella del Carnevale or, literally, Carnival Town.


Prizes

* Premio letterario Viareggio Repaci, a literary award founded in 1929 by Leonida Rèpaci, Alberto Colantuoni and Carlo Salsa. *Premio internazionale Artiglio. *Premio Sport Città di Viareggio. *Premio Viareggio Sport.


Events

*The
Festival Puccini The ''Festival Puccini'' (Puccini Festival) is an annual summer opera festival held in July and August to present the operas of the famous Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The Festival is located in Torre del Lago, Italy, a town located between L ...
(held in Torre del Lago Puccini) takes place every summer since 1930, between July and August, in an open-air theatre with 3,200 seats on the shore of lake Massaciuccoli. A new permanent theatre was opened in 2009. *Jazz and more..., music festival held since 2002 *Festival teatro canzone – Giorgio Gaber, since 2004 *Viareggio Incontri, at "Il Principino", on the Promenade. * EuropaCinema, an international film festival reserved to the European film industry. It was founded in 1984 in
Rimini Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It sprawls along the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia (the ancient ''Ariminu ...
, then moved to
Bari Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...
in 1988, and finally to Viareggio in 1989. *The Torneo Mondiale Giovanile di Calcio "Coppa Carnevale" is one of the most prestigious youth football tournaments, with competing youth teams from clubs around the world.


Main sights

*Villa Orlando * Villa Borbone (between Viareggio and Torre del Lago Puccini). * Villa Puccini, Museum. *Monument to the Resistance and to
Peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...
, (largo Risorgimento). The monument is made of columns taken from the old City Hall, destroyed by the aerial bombardments of World War II, and two walls running perpendicular to each other. On one of these a mosaic from
Jean-Michel Folon Jean-Michel Folon (1 March 1934 – 20 October 2005) was a Belgian artist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor. Early life Folon was born on 1 March 1934 in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium in 1934. He studied architecture at the Institut Saint-Luc. C ...
can be found together with a quote from
Quasimodo Quasimodo (from Quasimodo Sunday) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel '' The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (1831) by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, but ...
: "E come potevamo noi cantare con i piedi stranieri sopra il cuore?"/"And how could we sing with foreign feet trampling onto our hearts?"1998, Bruno Belluomini


Sport

The city is home of the roller hockey team
CGC Viareggio S.C. Centro Giovani Calciatori Viareggio Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica, or simply C.G.C. Viareggio, is a multi-sport team from Viareggio, Italy. It was founded on 20 November 1947. The club consists of roller hockey section and football s ...
.
CGC Viareggio S.C. Centro Giovani Calciatori Viareggio Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica, or simply C.G.C. Viareggio, is a multi-sport team from Viareggio, Italy. It was founded on 20 November 1947. The club consists of roller hockey section and football s ...
was the first club of Lucca province to be champion, in Italian sport. In 2011, they won the Serie A1 italian hockey title. The association football team is
F.C. Esperia Viareggio Associazione Sportiva Dilettanistica Viareggio Calcio, usually referred to simply as Viareggio, is an Italian football club located in Viareggio, Tuscany. Viareggio Calcio, as of 2021–22 season, plays in Tuscan Second Category. History Esp ...
. It also has its own professional beach soccer team Viareggio Beach Soccer.


Transportation


Motorway

Viareggio is connected to
Autostrada A11 This is a list of roads designated A11. Roads entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * A011 road (Argentina), a road connecting the junction of National Route 11 in Clorinda with Puerto Pilcomayo * ''A11 road (Australia)'' may r ...
from
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
via A11/"Bretella" Lucca-Viareggio and to Autostrada A12 linking
Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...
- Rosignano.


Train

Viareggio railway station is located near the city center, with 60 daily trains running along the
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
Pisa–La Spezia–Genoa line, and the line to Florence, as well as international trains.


Airport

The nearest airport is Pisa's "Galileo Galilei" international airport, just south of Viareggio's city center. Florence's "Amerigo Vespucci" airport is to the east.


Port and marina

Two extensions to today's Burlamacca canal were built in 1577. It was on its banks that the first maritime activities developed. In 1740,
Bernardino Zendrini Bernardino is a name of Italian, Hispanic, or Portuguese origin, which can refer to: Given name *Bernardino Baldi (1533–1617), Italian mathematician and writer *Bernardino Bertolotti (born 1547), Italian composer and instrumentalist * Bernard ...
had a water-gate built in order to prevent the sea water from reaching lake Massaciuccoli. In 1820 Maria Luisa, duchess of
Lucca 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 has a population of 383,957. Lucca is known as one o ...
, had the first marina of Viareggio built. It was completed in 1823 and took the name of Marina of Lucca. Between 1871 and 1873 the so-called Marina of Tuscany was built, followed by the Marina of Italy, from 1907 through to 1911. In 1938 the Marina of the Empire was also built, which was followed in the 1970s by the Marina of Viareggio (also known as the New Marina), the Marina of ''La Madonnina'', and the new
lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...
. The Madonnina can host up to 500 vessels. The city hosts the local Capitaneria di Porto, and all vessels registered here bear the marking VG.


Gallery

File:Viareggio, burlamacco.JPG, Statue of Burlamacco on Belvedere delle Maschere. File:Viareggio, monumento ai caduti, viani.JPG, War Memorial in Piazza Garibaldi, known as "Piazza delle Paure". File:Viareggio, royal 1.JPG, Grand Hotel. File:Viareggio, torre matilde 1.JPG, Torre Matilde and the Marina of Lucca. File:Palazzo liberty.JPG, Liberty-style building. File:Viareggio, villa borbone 1.JPG, Villa Borbone, between Viareggio and Torre del Lago Puccini. File:Viareggio, Cittadella del Carnevale.JPG, A float being towed out of the Cittadella del Carnevale. File:2007 Viareggio Carnival 01.jpg, Carnival Float, 2007.


International relations

Viareggio is twinned with: *
Bastia Bastia (, , , ; co, Bastìa ) is a commune in the 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 population of any commune on the is ...
, France *
Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...
, US *
Kunshan Kunshan is a county-level city in southeastern Jiangsu province with Shanghai bordering its eastern border and Suzhou on its western boundary. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Suzhou. Name There is a strong pos ...
, China *
Opole Opole (; german: Oppeln ; szl, Ôpole) ; * Silesian: ** Silesian PLS alphabet: ''Ôpole'' ** Steuer's Silesian alphabet: ''Uopole'' * Silesian German: ''Uppeln'' * Czech: ''Opolí'' * Latin: ''Oppelia'', ''Oppolia'', ''Opulia'' is a city loc ...
, Poland * Palmi, Italy *
San Benedetto del Tronto San Benedetto del Tronto is a city and ''comune'' in Marche, Italy. Part of an urban area with 100,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most densely populated areas along the Adriatic Sea coast. It is the most populated city in Province of Ascoli P ...
, Italy *
Pasto Pasto, officially San Juan de Pasto (; "Saint John of Pasto"), is the capital of the department of Nariño, in southern Colombia. Pasto was founded in 1537 and named after indigenous people of the area. In the 2018 census, the city had app ...
, Colombia


Notable people

* Inigo Campioni (1878–1944), soldier and politician * Araldo Caprili (1920-1982), football player *
Pierluigi Collina Pierluigi Collina (; born 13 February 1960) is an Italian former football referee. He was named "The World's Best Referee" by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics six consecutive times from 1998-2003. Collina is still ...
, football referee * Marco Columbro, presenter and actor * Eleonora Duse, actress in 913lived in a little rose villa behind a vineyard at Fossa Dell' Abate *
Eugenio Fascetti Eugenio Fascetti (born 23 October 1938 in Viareggio, Province of Lucca) is an Italian professional football coach and a former player, who played as a midfielder. Honours Player ;Juventus * Serie A champion: 1960–61. Manager * As a coach, won ...
,
football manager ''Football Manager'' (also known as ''Worldwide Soccer Manager'' in North America from 2004 to 2008) is a series of football management simulation video games developed by British developer Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The game bega ...
* Carlo Lenci (born 1928), football player * Marcello Lippi,
football manager ''Football Manager'' (also known as ''Worldwide Soccer Manager'' in North America from 2004 to 2008) is a series of football management simulation video games developed by British developer Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The game bega ...
*
Nicola Luisotti Nicola Luisotti (born 26 November 1961, in Viareggio, Italy) is an Italian conductor. He currently holds the title "Director Principal Invitado" (principal guest conductor) of Madrid's Teatro Real. Biography Luisotti grew up in Bargecchia. He ...
, orchestra director * Renato Santini (1912–1995), painter * Giorgio Michetti, painter and ultracentenarian *
Mario Monicelli Mario Alberto Ettore Monicelli (; 16 May 1915 – 29 November 2010) was an Italian film director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the ''Commedia all'Italiana'' (Comedy Italian style). He was nominated six times for an Oscar, and was awa ...
, film director * Giovanni Pacini (1796–1867), composer, lived in Viareggio *
André Puccinelli André Puccinelli (born 2 July 1948) is an Italian-Brazilian physician and politician, affiliated with the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB). He was the first foreigner to be List of mayors of Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul), mayor of Campo Gr ...
, governor of
Mato Grosso do Sul Mato Grosso do Sul () is one of the Midwestern states of Brazil. Neighboring Brazilian states are (from north clockwise) Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay, to the southwest, and ...
in Brazil *
Stefania Sandrelli Stefania Sandrelli (born 5 June 1946) is an Italian actress, famous for her many roles in the ''commedia all'Italiana'', starting from the 1960s. She was 14 years old when she starred in '' Divorce Italian Style'' as Angela, the cousin and love i ...
, actress *
Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 17928 July 1822) was 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 during his lifetime, but recognition of his achie ...
(1792–1822), English poet and writer whose body was cremated here *
Mario Tobino Mario Tobino (16 January 1910, Viareggio, Province of Lucca, Tuscany – 11 December 1991, Agrigento) was an Italian poet, writer and psychiatrist. A prolific writer, he began as a poet but later wrote mostly novels. His works are characteriz ...
(1910–1991), doctor, poet and writer *
Maria Valtorta Maria Valtorta (14 March 1897 – 12 October 1961) was a Roman Catholic Italian writer and poet. She was a Franciscan tertiary and a lay member of the Servants of Mary who reported reputed personal conversations with, and dictations from, ...
, writer and mystic


See also

* 2009 Viareggio derailment *
Carnival of Viareggio The Carnival of Viareggio ( it, Carnevale di Viareggio) is a carnival event annually held in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, in Italy. It is considered amongst the most renowned carnival celebrations in both Italy and Europe. Overview Its main ...
*
Festival Puccini The ''Festival Puccini'' (Puccini Festival) is an annual summer opera festival held in July and August to present the operas of the famous Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The Festival is located in Torre del Lago, Italy, a town located between L ...
* Football Club Esperia Viareggio * Premio letterario Viareggio Repaci *
Versilia Versilia is a part of Tuscany in the north-western province of Lucca and southern part of Massa-Carrara, and is named after the Versilia river. Known for fashionable Riviera resorts, it consists of numerous clubs that are frequented by local celebr ...


References


Sources


History

* * * * * *


Buildings

* *


Religion

* * *


Other

* *


External links


Photos from the Tuscany Seaside resort - Viareggio
(English), from the site Freerangetravellers.com
Comune di Viareggio
, the official website of the municipality of Viareggio
Site with information about the city and a small dictionary about the local dialect

Site hosted by the "Carnevalari" Association, with news and historical information about Viareggio and its carnival


, from the site www.aboutversilia.com
Viareggio
, from the site www.versilia.org

from the holidaying site www.vacanzeinversilia.com

Viareggio Carnival {{authority control Viareggio, Coastal towns in Tuscany Seaside resorts in Italy