Bagni di Lucca
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| The Shelleys, their two children, and
Claire Clairmont stayed at Casa Bertini, just
outside and above the town of Bagni di Lucca,
from mid-June to mid-August 1818. They were
the happiest they had been since Marlow,
although they remained for only two months.
They spent their time walking and admiring
the surrounding landscapes, studying (mostly
ancient Greek authors), visiting the spa, and
perusing early (although mostly negative)
responses to Frankenstein. The place
was not particularly conducive to creative
work, however; Shelley had planned to draft
his "Tasso" here, but instead turned his
attention to translation—most notably
Plato's Symposium, completing the
monumental task in only ten days. |
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| Like so many Shelley sites, there is a
bit of a mystery here. John Webster reports
that he was in Bagni di Lucca not long ago,
and was directed to a different
house—having been told by by an
expatriot Englishman that the Italians had
put the plaque on the wrong house. He has
supplied a photo of a house (below) which
corresponds to that shown in Holmes's book.
(Webster also maintains a lovely website
with a number of Shelley and Byron
images.) |
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| Whichever house is the correct one, Casa
Bertini is devilishly difficult to find (had
it not been for David Miall's directions,
we'd still be looking for it) although its
magnificent views make it well worth the
effort. Subsequent construction has somewhat
restricted Shelley's commanding prospect of
the Lucca area below, however. |
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| From Lucca take route 12 north to Bagni
di Lucca. Once in town, follow the signs
toward the municipal swimming pool (left off
route 12) until you reach an arched entrance
which continues on to the pool. Do not go
through the arch, but rather take the
switchback on your left and continue up the
hill to a small, dead-end piazza. |
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| Casa Bertini is on the left. Fifty yards
or so further on there is a narrow walkway on
the left, which leads up to Byron's
residence. |
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