WELCOME TO LIVORNO  

Livorno is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 161,000 residents in 2011. Livorno was designed as an "ideal town" during the Italian Renaissance, when it was ruled by the Grand Duke of the Medici family. Major additions were designed by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti at the end of the 16th century. The Medici port was overlooked and defended by towers and fortresses leading to the town centre. At the end of the 17th century, Livorno underwent a period of great town planning and expansion. Near the defensive pile of the Old Fortress, a new fortress was built, together with the town walls and the system of navigable canals through neighborhoods. After the port of Pisa silted up, its distance from the sea was increased and it lost its dominance in trade. Livorno took over as the main port in Tuscany. In Livorno there are many monument: The Monumento dei quattro mori ("Monument of the Four Moors"), is dedicated to Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici of Tuscany, and is one of the most important monuments of Livorno. The Piazza della Repubblica contains two important monuments of Italian politicians important to the unification. A large canal passes under the square, which serves as a bridge over it. The old red-brick fortress, Fortezza Nuova, was built during the Medici years, and defended the city from attack by pirates. Its three bastions are named Capitana, Ampolletta and Canaviglia. The original fortress was built before the Renaissance. A later one was constructed at the end of the 16th century. Livorno is the location of the Italian Naval Academy as well as several smaller colleges. The city and port have continued as an important destination for travelers and tourists attracted to its historic buildings and setting. The port processes thousands of cruise-ship passengers, many of whom take arranged buses to inland destinations, especially Florence. Livorno has a football team in Serie B, A.S. Livorno Calcio