Although the city gives a more modern impression than similar coastal towns, the top 10 tourist attractions of Livorno contains several interesting ancient monuments.
Top 10 tourist attractions Livorno
01. Piazza Grande
In 1576, when the architect Buontalenti made a new project for the city of Livorno, he had in mind a huge Piazza Grande, as the heart of a network of wide avenues. After the war, however, the square was divided into the present Piazza Grande and the Largo Municipio, north of it.
02. Duomo
Livorno’s 16th-century cathedral was renovated in 1959 after being bombed and partially destroyed in the 2nd war. The original building was partly designed by Inigo Jones, a student of Buontalenti, who later used the acquired knowledge for his nearly identical design of London’s Covent Garden.
03. Piazza Micheli
Livorno’s most famous monument, the Monumento dei Quattro Mori, adorns the Piazza Micheli. Bandini crafted the statue of Duke Ferdinand I in 1595 and in 1621 Tacca added, also in bronze, 4 Moorish slaves.
04. Venezia Nuova
The picturesque Venezia Nuova district, which contains the octagonal Santa Caterina Church and the Fortezza Nuova, a fortress with a park inside, gets its name from a number of canals reminiscent of Venice.
05. Piazza XX Settembre
In Piazza XX Settembre, the “American Market” takes place. The market acquired this name when many American military goods were traded there after World War II.
06. English Cemetery
The English Cemetery of Livorno is the burial place of the Scottish writer Tobias Smollett.
07. Museo Civico
The Museo Civico in Livorno houses a number of workss by Giovanni Fattori, one of the most important and famous representatives of the Macchiaioli school of painting.
08. City wall
The ancient city walls, which are still visible, used to form the protection of the city against invasions by other states. Especially near the port and at the Fortezza Nuova, well-preserved pieces of the old wall can still be seen.
09. Cisternone
The Cisternone is a huge neo-classical building on Viale Giosue Carducci. It was formerly used to purify the water brought into Livorno through the Colognole Aqueduct.
10. Fortezza Nuova
The Fortezza Nuova (“New Fortress”) is an ancient defensive structure, from the 16th century. It is located in the city center and contains a pleasant park.