Capannori rises along the plain of Lucca and its origins probably date to the arrival in Tuscany of the Lombards. It was first mentioned in a document of the year 745, when a monk declared he had been living in a place called "Capannole" where he built a chapel and a hoe home for the people in need dedicated to San Quirico.
This small town has always been under the control of Lucca and it participated to its different historical events. The XIV-century historian Giovanni Sercambi mentioned some of the numerous castles on the hills of Capannori in his "Croniche".
These strongholds supposedly were built by the inhabitants of Lucca to defend themselves from the attacks by the Pisans during the period of bloody fights between the two cities.
It is possible to admire wonderful villas set in the surrounding countryside, such as Villa Torrigiani (XVI century), Villa Reale di Marlia (1571), Villa Mansi, Villa Mazzarosa and Villa Minutoli Tegrimi.
The Church of Santi Quirico and Giulitta, already mentioned in 786, preserves the original structure of the XII century central façade; the lateral aisles, the apse and the transept were added during the subsequent reconstructions.
We also suggest to visit the Abbey of San Bartolomeo, founded in VII-VIII century, the Church of San Colombano, built on the remains of a Lombard monastery, the Church of San Cristoforo (IX century), the Pieve Church of San Frediano (VIII century) and the Church of Santa Maria and San Jacopo, already mentioned in the X century.