Liguaria is one of the smallest regions in Italy. Favourite to the likes of Ezra Pound, Lord Byron, P.B. Shelley and his wife Mary Wollstonecraft, and Ernest Hemingway, Liguria features charming seaside resorts, strands of sand, forests of lemon and olive trees, and largest naval and commercial ports. This part of Italy covers a narrow stretch of coast from France, and its capital is Genoa, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.
|
| Genoa |
In very ancient history, the area of Liguria was inhabited by the Neanderthal Man and the Cro-Magnon Man whose traces were discovered in the region of Loano, and in Ventimiglia, in the grotto of "Balzi Rossi", respectively. The written sources claim the presence of the Ligurians, the people of Mediterranean origin, dates back to the first millennium B.C. on most of north-western Italy. The first Punic War divided the ancient Ligurians and most of them sided with Carthage. The rest sided with Rome, whose allies included the future Genoese. After the Roman conquest of the area, the so-called X regio - Liguria, was created, and in the reign of Emperor Augustus, Liguria was expanded from the coast to the banks of Po River. The Roman roads of the coastal Aurelia and Julia Augusta, and inland Postumia and Aemilia Scauri strengthened the territorial unity and increased trade.
For six centuries between the 4th and the 10th centuries, the region was under by the Byzantine, the Lombards of King Rothari and the Franks, while also being invaded by the Saracens and the Normans. In the 10th century, Liguria was divided into three marches: Obertenga (east), Arduinica (west) and Aleramica (centre). In the 11th and 12th centuries these were split into fees. The main coastal Ligurian towns became city-states, while the inland fees survived for a very long time. Between the 11th century and the 15th century the Republic of Genoa became politically and economically very important, and it was the most powerful maritime republic in the Mediterranean from the 12th to the 14th century. When the title of doge for life was introduced in 1339, Genoa continued to fight against the Marquis of Finale and the Earls of Laigueglia and it conquered again the territories of Finale, Oneglia and Porto Maurizio. However, despite these successes, Genoa was weakened by the internal factions. Being so weak, the rule of the republic was given to the Visconti family of Milan. However, after they were expelled by the popular forces, the republic remained in Genoese hands until 1396, when the doge Antoniotto Adorno surrendered the title of Seignior of Genoa to the king of France who held power until 1409. Milan took over control over Liguria in 1421. This changing of French and Milanese dominions over Liguria continued until the early 16th century. The French influence finally ceased in 1528.
The 17th century international crises during which Genoa was bombed by King Louis XIV’s fleet in 1684, restored the French influence. Austria occupated Genoa in 1746, but the Habsburgic troops were driven away by a popular insurrection in the same year. Napoleon’s first campaign to Italy ended the secular republic which was transformed into Ligurian Republic.
In 1805, Liguria was annexed to the French Empire and divided by Napoleon into three departments: Montenotte, with capital Savona, Genoa and the department of the Apennines, with capital Chiavari. In 1814, the Congress of Vienna decided that Liguria should be annexed to the kingdom of Sardinia, after being independent for a while. Genoa uprose against the House of Savoy in 1821, but this uprising was put down in bloodshed. The start of the 20th century was marked with great economic flourishment, whereas the WWII period will be remembered after great hunger and two years of occupation by the German troops, and the liberation struggle against them.
Liguria is the third smallest region of Italy. It borders France to the west, Piedmont to the north, and Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany to the east, and lies on the Ligurian Sea. The region of Liguria is a narrow strip of land, enclosed between the sea and the Alps and the Apennines mountains. Its total area is 5,416.03 square Kilometres, of which 3524.08 kilometres are mountains and 891.95 square kilometres hills. The Ligurian coastline is 315 km long, and not very jagged. The most important watercourses are the Roja, the Nervia, and the Magra.
Liguaria ahs the mild climate the whole year round, with average winter temperatures of 7-10° and summer temperatures of 23°-24°. Rainfall can sometimes be very abundant, so Genoa can see up to 2000 mm of rain in a year.
