Free public Wi-Fi on the city walls: agreement signed between the Lucca City Council and the IMT School
Residents and visitors will soon be able to connect to the internet free of charge whilst walking along Lucca’s historic city walls. The Municipality of Lucca and the IMT School for Advanced Studies have signed an agreement to jointly set up a free public Wi-Fi network covering the entire length of the city walls, stretching over 4 kilometres.
The initiative was launched following a proposal by the IMT School, with the aim of combining innovation, accessibility and heritage conservation. The service will be completely free of charge and accessible to all, offering support both to the people of Lucca and to the many visitors who visit the city’s iconic monument every year.
Particular attention will be paid to preserving the historical, monumental and landscape value of the walls. The installation of technological equipment will be carried out using solutions with a low visual impact, specifically designed to blend in with the surroundings and not alter the perception of the site. All stages of the project will be discussed with the appropriate conservation authorities.
“The city walls are the heart of Lucca and the place most loved by residents and visitors alike,” said the mayor of Lucca, Mario Pardini. “Providing them with free public Wi-Fi means making the monument even more accessible and enjoyable, offering a useful service for finding out about, sharing and experiencing the city. We are doing this in partnership with the IMT School, a centre of excellence in our region, through a project that focuses on technology serving people and the utmost respect for history”.
“This agreement confirms the IMT School’s strong commitment to the local area and strengthens our collaboration with Lucca City Council, aimed at putting our research expertise at the service of the community,” commented Lorenzo Casini, Rector of the IMT School. “This initiative will enable us to deliver a tangible project for the city and its residents, combining technological innovation with the enhancement of Lucca’s city walls. We are delighted to embark on this journey together with the local council, thereby strengthening the dialogue between research, institutions and the local community.”
The network will become operational in the coming months. It will be one of the first continuous public Wi-Fi networks at a historic monument of this size in Italy.