The Legend of Lucida Mansi

Tuesday 9th June 2026

Lucida Mansi was born in Lucca on March 7th 1606, into one of the richest and most powerful families in the Lucca area: the Saminiati. When she was very young, she married Vincenzo Diversi, but soon she was widowed and then married the old and rich Gaspare di Nicolas Mansi.

Fully devoted to luxury and to an exciting life, she was adored, courted and extremely proud of her looks; people said she was even hiding a mirror in her prayer book.

So time went by thoughtless among parties and lovers, until one morning, admiring herself in the mirror as usual, she noticed a slight wrinkle on her extremely beautiful face. Lucida was desperate and wept bitter tears until a handsome young man appeared in front of her. He was the Devil. He promised her thirty more years of youth, but after this time he would come back again to get his payment for this privilege: her soul. Lucida accepted with no hesitation and the bonus years ran without any apparent ageing. But one summer afternoon, at the end of thirty years, the Devil came back to her. Lucida turned desperate and prayed to him to save her soul, but the Devil lugged her on his flaming carriage and after a full tour on the City Walls to allow Lucca’s inhabitants to hear her harrowing screams, he sank with the chariot into the pond, the wonderful gem of the Botanical Gardens.

The legend says that, if you were to dive in the pond it is possible to see the face of Lucida Mansi sleeping in its depths. The same legend also says that every year on the 31st October, in absolute silence a strong wind arises, a noise of horses hooves resounds in the air and it is possible to glimpse the burning carriage sinking in the pond, launched in an unbridled run towards hell.

Lucida actually died of the plague on February 12th 1649.and her remains were buried in the Lucca Capuchin friar’s church very close to the Botanical Gardens and later destroyed.

 

The story is by The Association for the Diffusion of Plants among Enthusiasts