Near to us…
Castle of Pietra Ligure
The “stone” (in Pria) that gives the town its name is the rocky outcrop dominated by the Castle, which in ancient times must have seemed even more imposing when the waves of the sea broke here.
The Romans had already chosen this strategic position for their fortified village, the Castrum Petrae. The first fortification of the boulder dates back to the first invasions of the Barbarians and Saracens, when the Ligurians began to equip their lands with forts. The castle, unlike the impregnable castles of the medieval Signorotti, was a fortress which, precisely because of its strategic position, built on top of the boulder, was of fundamental importance for the control of Mediterranean trade and the passage of armies. The Roman roads (via Aurelia and via Julia Augusta) which connected Italy with Gaul passed through here.
The castle was a Byzantine bulwark in defense of the Lombards, then a possession of the Bishops of Albenga until, in the 14th century, it was ceded to the Republic of Genoa, which had always competed with the nearby Marquisate of the Del Carretto del Finale.
The castle itself is a National Monument, but is privately owned. The city changed its name from “La Pietra” to “Pietra Ligure” on July 31, 1862 because in Italy, outside Liguria, there were other cities that were called that.
Sources:
Municipality of Pietra Ligure archive
The Illustrated Stone Cultural Association “I Matetti da Pria”
The Basilica of San Nicolò
In the eighteenth century the construction of the new church began, to thank San Nicolò for the miracle of the plague. It was desired to erect a larger and more beautiful temple than the old church, unique in its kind. Pietra was not subservient to some rich and powerful noble family, therefore, to find the money necessary for the construction of the church, it was necessary to resort to the good will of the people rather than to the munificence of a great lord.
The new church was built with the contribution of all the people of Pietrasanta: those who were poor offered their work, the richest gave enough to build the splendid altars. Everyone contributed in any way and the current Basilica was built incredibly vast and daring thanks to the faith and will of the inhabitants of the village. The first stone was laid in 1750 and the consecration to worship took place on 25 November 1791. The architects were Giovan Battista Montaldo and Gaetano Cantoni. In 1814, three very heavy bells arrived by sea, ready to be hoisted on the bell tower. In 1863 the second bell tower was completed, the one on the sea side.
The Basilica presents itself in all its grandeur from the outside: the Baroque-Renaissance façade has classical tendencies, with symmetrical bell towers, spiers surmounted by the cross, triple doors and windows. The sculptures of the apostles Peter and Paul on the sides and the group of San Nicolò in the center are works by the Savonese sculptor Antonio Brilla. It was the parish priest Don Giovanni Bado, in the 19th century, who had the interior of the church decorated. He called the best artists of the time to fresco the vaults and walls, sculpt the statues, decorate the altars with stucco. Those who visit the basilica today can admire the masterpieces of Maragliano, Piola, Barbagelata, just to name a few. Part of the works come from other churches in the town which were demolished. The wooden choir and the pulpit come from the Cathedral of Marseilles, saved from the looting of the revolutionary uprisings.
However, the real marvel of our parish remains the immense and beautiful vault, 27.25 meters long and 23.50 wide. An architectural masterpiece!
Sources:
Municipality of Pietra Ligure archive
The Illustrated Stone Cultural Association “I Matetti da Pria”
Clock Museum
The tower clock museum was born from the idea of Giovanni Bergallo, a watchmaker, who, on the occasion of the first public exhibition of some pieces from the Bergallo factory, which took place on 15 September 1984, publicly wished that a museum would be created in his town collected the testimonies of the watchmaking art and of the family tradition for time machines.
After about ten years, the Museum was established, with a resolution of the City Council of April 3, 1996. The inauguration took place on April 7, 1997, in the former Civic Palace of Bardino Nuovo.
After a few years of opening, the arrival of new pieces, the increased importance on a national level, made it necessary to restore the museum site, which ended in 2011 with an expansion of the total area and a new exhibition itinerary with renewed architecture and materials, created with the support of the Liguria Region and the De Mari Foundation.
The watches on display are authentic pieces (the oldest dating back to the 16th century) collected by the Bergallo family and coming from donations from collectors, churches and other entities.
In addition to the clocks, it is possible to find dials, hands, “oddities” from bell towers, pulleys, all objects attesting to a rich history of the now unrepeatable technique and mechanics of watchmaking.
Caves of Borgio Verezzi
The caves of Borgio Verezzi offer a tourist route, which winds for about 800 meters inside large rooms, among huge blocks detached from the vault in ancient times.
The concretions of every shape are very rich: from the cannulas, slender and almost transparent, to the drapes, thin as sheets, to the large columns that seem to support the vault up to the eccentric stalactites, which defy the force of gravity by developing in all directions.
Finalborgo
Reviewed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, it is a medieval village in western Liguria, rich in history and places to visit.
In the small Ligurian village, one of the three urban nuclei that form Finale Ligure, there are several historical sites of extraordinary beauty, among which we find Castel San Giovanni, the Collegiate Church of San Biagio, the Monumental Complex of Santa Caterina, Porta Reale and Porta Head.
