Livorno is a port city located in the western region of Tuscany; it is the capital of the province of Livorno. The province as a whole also includes a number of islands and two of these are Elba and Capraia. Like many Italian cities, it was a fortified one and its three main bastions are called Capitana, Canaviglia and Ampolletta.
As well as the Fortezza Nuova with its three bastions, there are a number of other buildings of interest here and many can be found in the Venice district of the city. This part of the city has not really changed much over the years; it still has its narrow streets, bridges and a network of canals that was once used to link the port to the storehouses.
There is the Monumento dei quattro mori, or Monument of the Four Moors; it is dedicated to a Grand Duke of Tuscany called Ferdinando I de' Medici and it is one of the most important monuments in the city. Two more important monuments can be found in the Piazza della Repubblica.
A little way up in the hills there is the Sanctuary of Montenero, which is a religious complex that has been dedicated to Our Lady of Grace. Behind the shine in the hills there are a number of grottos, or caves; in the early 20th century these caves were extended and later opened up to the public.
The original cathedral was situated in Piazza Grande, but was completely destroyed in the bombings of 1943. However, a replica of the building was completed in 1952 and stands where the original once did.
For a beautiful example of neo-Gothic architecture there is the Chiesa della Congregazione Olandese Alemanna, it is a Dutch church and was completed in 1864. Sadly, the building has fallen into disrepair and cannot be accessed by the public. However, the external facade is still relatively intact and well worth a look.
Livorno is home to an excellent aquarium that not only has many tunnels through underwater tanks, but also has archaeological exhibits. The most famous one is called the Kosmos, which is about how the sky would have looked to Galileo.
The Museo Mascagnano is home to a memorabilia, operas and documents by the great composer Pietro Mascagni. His music is played each year during the lyric music season, which is organised by the Traditional Theatre of Livorno.
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