Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi

Overview

Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi occupies the Gothic villa once belonging to the same Guinigi family as the famous tower. The collection traces Lucca's artistic output from Etruscan and Roman artefacts through medieval sculpture and Renaissance paintings.

Highlights

• Romanesque Sculpture: An outstanding collection of carved capitals and reliefs from Lucca's medieval churches.
• Berlinghiero Crosses: 13th-century painted crucifixes by Lucca's Berlinghiero school, among the earliest Italian panel paintings.
• Roman Finds: Mosaics, tombstones, and everyday objects from Lucca's Roman period.

History

The villa was built in 1418–1420 for Paolo Guinigi, lord of Lucca, as a suburban retreat. Its Gothic architecture with pointed arched windows is unusual for a residential building of this period. The national museum was established here in 1968.

Visitor Tips

• Combined Ticket: Use the joint ticket with Palazzo Mansi for savings.
• Closed Mondays: Same schedule as Palazzo Mansi.
• Duration: 1–1.25 hours.