If you’re passing through the province of Lucca during your tours of Tuscany, you may learn of the mystical legend of a beautiful woman called Lucida Mansi. Visitors have plenty of exquisite vacation rentals in the Lucca area to rest in for a few days. Here they can learn all about this exciting tale as well as engaging in other interesting things to do and see in the towns and villages around Lucca.
Lucida Mansi was young and by far the fairest in the land; men all over adored her beauty and desired to be with her. It was widely rumoured that she had secretly murdered her husband to lead a wealthy life full of lavish parties dressed in the finest clothes and jewels, paid for with her newly acquired inheritance.
She used her attractiveness to seduce many men and loved herself so much that she demanded to be constantly surrounded by mirrors to admire her prettiness. It’s said that she even had a small mirror in her prayer book and one above her bed to ensure she always had her reflection staring back at her.
Lucida Mansi was young and by far the fairest in the land; men all over adored her beauty and desired to be with her. It was widely rumoured that she had secretly murdered her husband to lead a wealthy life full of lavish parties dressed in the finest clothes and jewels, paid for with her newly acquired inheritance.
She used her attractiveness to seduce many men and loved herself so much that she demanded to be constantly surrounded by mirrors to admire her prettiness. It’s said that she even had a small mirror in her prayer book and one above her bed to ensure she always had her reflection staring back at her.
But as we all know, time ravages beauty and Lucida began to see wrinkles appear on her face as the years passed. She went hysterical, she couldn’t bear the idea of losing her youthful good looks and as no cosmetic surgery was available in those days, she decided to strike a deal with the devil instead!
The devil agreed to give her thirty more years of unchanging youthful beauty in exchange for her soul when the time was up. The foolish Lucida agreed to this and for these years she continued to lead the life of partying, wearing pretty clothes and luring young handsome men into her chamber.
The devil agreed to give her thirty more years of unchanging youthful beauty in exchange for her soul when the time was up. The foolish Lucida agreed to this and for these years she continued to lead the life of partying, wearing pretty clothes and luring young handsome men into her chamber.
But when thirty years had passed, the devil appeared and dragged her down to Hell through an abyss that suddenly opened in the ground where he grabbed her in a bedroom of Palazzo Mansi. It is said that for many years this cursed hole could not be filled and visitors can see today where a circular floor piece was eventually fitted into the bedroom of ‘Camera degli Sposi’ where Lucida met her terrifying fate.
According to one other version of the story, the devil dragged Lucida all around the wall of Lucca in his carriage of fire, then sunk in the little lake of the Botanical Garden.
A tour of this palace whilst learning about the legend of Lucida Mansi would be an excellent way to spend an afternoon during your holiday to Tuscany. Read through some related articles that talk about other famous myths and legends of the region to help inspire your touring plans whilst on vacation here!
Photo credits
picture 1: Daderot. / CC BY-SA;
According to one other version of the story, the devil dragged Lucida all around the wall of Lucca in his carriage of fire, then sunk in the little lake of the Botanical Garden.
A tour of this palace whilst learning about the legend of Lucida Mansi would be an excellent way to spend an afternoon during your holiday to Tuscany. Read through some related articles that talk about other famous myths and legends of the region to help inspire your touring plans whilst on vacation here!
Photo credits
picture 1: Daderot. / CC BY-SA;