Known by locals as the Piazza Grande because it’s the largest square and is in the centre of town, the square dates back to1322, when Castruccio Castracanni from the Antelminelli family, decided to build the Augusta Fortress and a palace, which were later demolished when the Castracani family was deposed in 1370.
In 1805 the city of Lucca was conquered by Napoleon who made his sister Elisa Bonparte, Duchess of Lucca who dedicated the square to her brother and set about redesigning it. Most of the surrounding houses, some warehouses, a tower, the archive, workshops and the Church of San Pietro Maggiore were demolished to emphasise the Palazzo Ducale.
The Duchess of Lucca’s reign lasted only 10 years. In 1815 she was ousted by Maria Luisa of Spain. The latter had the statue of Napoleon removed from the square and replaced by one of herself, still visible today. Palazzo Ducale now occupies the entire west side of Piazza Napoleone and is the headquarters of the provincial offices.
Di I, Sailko, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4092250
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