Looney tunes? Our peregrinations along the Versilia coastline yesterday landed us in one of the most important Roman cities of northern Italy largely excavated since the 1960’s. Particularly fine were these fishy mosaics,

frescoed villas,

armoured and togaed statuary,

and an amphitheatre worthy of Russell Crowe.

Although not quite Pompeii-like in scale, without the city of Portus Lunae exporting chunks of Apuan Alps south to the capital Emperor Augustus could not have boasted. “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”.

One of the strangest ruins we saw at Luni, however, was not from ancient Roman times but dated from 1962. This was the former museum built in a flurry of optimism and in the full throes of post-war modernism but unfortunately built in the wrong place since archaeological investigations have subsequently revealed ancient temple ruins underneath it.  The authorities gave the all-clear to demolish the museum last month and already parts of it are looking like something out of the war in the Ukraine.

Significantly, preservation societies and architects have remonstrated against the decision and defend the building as a fine example of sixties brutalist architecture. However, the authorities have hit back stating that the museum needed to go as it was not up to current seismic standards.

My opinion? It will need more time for me to appreciate the former museum’s architecture and I’m glad if its clearance means that more of the archaeological site will reveal new discoveries. In any case, many of the exhibits formerly housed in the old museum have now been placed in some well-restructured old ‘case coloniche’ or old farmhouses in the area which are rather more in keeping with the landscape than a building which at least one inhabitant of the United Kingdom would call ‘a carbuncle’.

This was our second visit to Portus Lunae, the first being over ten years ago in July 2009. I have come across our photos of Luni from then. My reflections on this visit now thirteem years ago are that how happy we were with our ‘new’ Cinquina’ car and that there were more archaeological relics on show. But which museum was it? Had they already been removed from the one now being demolished?

I do not have any exact memories of the ‘old’ museum but clearly there must have been a lot more space for displaying archaeological remains. We were able to enjoy the new displays in the old farm buildings and found their documentation excellent.  We just hope that the exhibits in storage will also relocate and that the promised new excavations of the cleared site will not be unduly delayed.

The fact is, however, that it may be said that Italy has ancient ruins at two-a-penny and that there are far more spectacular Roman ones in other parts of the peninsula. We felt that the site of Luni had a melancholy, neglected tinge over it which was rather appropriate for a once grand classical city that had subsequently been torn apart by a combination of major earthquakes and Saracen pillage. The staff was very convivial towards us and filled us in with considerable information about the site. But it was a little sad that during our three hours there we were practically the only visitors present.

It was also a little odd that the site was kept open until 7.30 PM, well into the hours of darkness in such a poorly lit area and that it was somewhat frustrating that the amphitheatre was now only open from Fridays to Sundays because of a newly implemented winter timetable. From its perimeter fence, however, I was still able to get some decent pictures of this majestic monument.

On leaving the amphitheatre I came across this amusing but clearly very necessary notice placed there by a private house in the Luni area. I just wonder how many cats may have found themselves transported unwittingly to other areas of the Roman Empire!