A Virtual Train Journey Along the Mare Ligure from Ventimiglia to Rome
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Italian Culture Newsletter Number 22 A Virtual Train Journey along the Mare Ligure from Ventimiglia to Rome. Marie and I have made this journey on a number of occasions. In doing so we have either made the journey in a single day albeit with a change of train, usually at Genova. On other occasions, we have spent an evening or even a few days at Genova and/or at Livorno or Pisa. The journey described will involve more stops on the way but could be more interesting on that account. The trip begins in Ventimiglia where we stayed overnight on our last day of our last holiday in Italy. This had been occasioned by the French railway strike which prevented any trains from running from Ventimiglia to Nice on the day of our arrival from Rome into the city at the Italian- French border in Liguria. Our first visit to Ventimiglia was in 2006 when some Italian friends from Cuneo, due north of Ventimiglia, in Piemonte, met us at the rail station in Ventimiglia to take us for a short stay at their apartment in Nice. On that occasion we didn’t see much of the city except for part of the old medieval town, which now mostly is the home of many of the southerners from Naples, Calabria and Sicily who moved north seeking employment after WWII. The old town is perched high above the new city with its long sea-front promenade and railway station. Ventimiglia is the ancient Albium Intemelium, the capital of the Intemelii, a Ligurian tribe which long resisted the Romans, until in 115 BC it was forced to submit to Marcus Aemilius Scaurus. Albintimilium became a municipium in 89 BC. In AD 69 the city was sacked by the army of Otho and Vitellius, but recovered to remain prosperous into the 5th century, surrounded by strong walls. In the Gothic Wars it was besieged by the Byzantines and the Goths, and later suffered from the raids of Rothari, King of the Lombards, but flourished again under Rodoald. In the 10th century it was attacked by the Saracens of Fraxinet. After a period as an independent commune, it was ruled by the Counts of Ventimiglia, and often had to defend itself from attacks by the Republic of Genoa. In 1139 the Genoese attacked it by land and sea and forced it to surrender; the count continued to hold the city and his title as a vassal of the victors. The city rebelled more than once against the Genoese and sided with their enemies, the Tuscan city states. In 1271 during a war with Genoa its podestà Luca Grimaldi was captured. Ventimiglia was temporarily held by the dukes of Savoy (1389 and 1746) and King Ladislaus of Naples (1410). In 1505 it was annexed to the Genoese Republic, sharing its history until the early 19th century. Roman theatre. In 1269 the Count of Ventimiglia, Gugliemo Pietro I Balbo married Eudossia Laskaris, daughter of Emperor Theodore II Laskaris initiating the dynasty of the Lascaris of Tenda. They maintained the sovereign County of Tenda until 1501 when the last of them, Anne Lascaris, married Renato of Savoy (René de Savoie) and transferred the County to a junior branch of Savoy dynasty. The most famous member of this branch of the Lascaris was Beatrice of Tenda, subject of Bellini’s opera. Above: [L] the Ligurian coastline ay Ventimiglia and [R] Centro Storico The Journey Day 1. The idea is that we travel to Rome, changing trains 3 times and stopping for 2 nights in Genoa and 3 nights in Livorno. Other places on the route will be described as if we’re dipping into a guide book. The first stage of the rail journey will take us through Bordighera, San Remo, Imperia, Alassio, Albenga, Loana and then Savona, which we shall be our first brief stop. We once stayed in Albenga, which reminded me a little of Eastbourne, but was less elegant. A car ride to San Remo introduced me to the pleasure of the Italian dessert, “affogato” - ice cream ‘drowned’ in espresso coffee, which has remained one of my favourite puddings, albeit now off limits - too sweet! We leave Trenitalia on the Thello 139 at 09:10 AM arriving at Savona at 10:31 AM (Two tickets 42€ 1st class, 31€ std). Savona Inhabited in ancient times by Ligures tribes, it came under Roman influence in c. 180 BC, after the Punic wars in which the city had been allied to Carthage. At the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it passed under Lombard rule in 641 AD and it was destroyed during the assault on the city, after a short period as an Ostrogoth and then a Byzantine possession. Later it recovered as a county seat in the Carolingian Empire. In the 10th century its bishops were counts of Savona, but later the title passed to the marquesses of Montferrat (981) and afterwards to the marquesses Del Vasto (1084). After a long struggle against the Saracens, Savona acquired independence in the 11th century, becoming a free municipality allied with the (Holy Roman) Emperor. Savona was a centre of religious culture (13th to 16th centuries) owing to the influence of two important monasteries: one Dominican, the other Franciscan. Subsequently, it fought against Genoa before being definitively conquered in 1528. The Genoese destroyed the upper town and buried the port. It then shared the fortunes of the Republic of Genoa until Napoleonic times. In 1809 the city gave shelter to Pope Pius VII, prisoner of Napoleon Bonaparte, for a few years. Between April and mid-May 1800, Austrian forces besieged the city while a small British naval force maintained a blockade; the fortress surrendered on 15 May. Subsequently, Savona was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardegna-Piemonte (1815). Eventually, it became part of unified Italy. Main sights Towers and fortress The Torre Leon Pancaldo (Leon Pancaldo Tower), built in the 14th century and also known as "Torretta", is the iconic symbol of the town. The Torre del Brandale (Brandale Tower), also known as Campanassa (Commune tower, where the freedom declaration of Savona was signed in 1191 and towers Corsi and Riario. The Priamar fortress, built by the Genoese in 1542 after their conquest of Savona, on the area of the old cathedral and old city and later used as a prison and military gaol. In 1830-1831 Giuseppe Mazzini was imprisoned in the fortress and he "dreams of" the "Giovine Italia" (Young Italy a movement he formed). Inside the fortress is the Museum Centre of Priamar. The church of Our Lady of Priamar Fortress Mercy Palaces and others The Palazzo Della Rovere (Della Rovere Palace), built by Cardinal Giulio della Rovere (future Pope Julius II) and designed by Giuliano da Sangallo as a university. The Palazzo Gavotti (Gavotti Palace), built in the 15th century. Inside the palace there is the Art Museum of Palazzo Gavotti that contains the Pinacoteca of Savona, the artwork of Fondazione Museo di Arte Contemporanea Milena Milani in memoria di Carlo Cardazzo and the new Ceramic Museum. The Palazzo Delle Piane (Delle Piane Palace) - below, the most important building in the Liberty (inspired by the Liberty store in the West End of London) style in Savona. In the Comune of Savona remains a house documented as property of Domenico Colombo, father of Christopher Columbus, where they lived for many years (Christopher Columbus lived in Savona for much of his youth). But we must now rush for the 16:05 train to Genoa - arriving at Genova Piazza Principe at 17:05 (Regionale 11265 9.80€). Our hotel for the night is the Hotel Grand Savoia a due passe (very close - literally at two paces) from the station as the estate agents would put it. Grand Savoia - Above Exterior, Lounge bar and (Right) Terrace Restaurant and café Leaving the railway station in the Piazza Principe is a large memorial to Christopher Columbus - Genoa’s most (in)famous(?) son, possibly. The monument is at the left of the picture of the exterior of the Grand Savoia Hotel. The Grand Savoia is a jjjj j star hotel which somehow manages to charge jjj prices. From the top floor there is a magnificent view over the port; there are usually several huge cruise ships docked. Usually, when we stay for several days in Genoa we take one of the funicular systems to the upper part of the city. There are at least 4 funicular systems; there are trains on chain pulleys, lifts, and one is a combination of both systems. They are remarkably inexpensive. If, as on this occasion, it is two nights stay we eat in the centre (near the Opera House) or near sea front. On the way we walk along Via Garibaldi - a really magnificent street (pedestrianised). (Right) Via Garibaldi at night Piazza de Ferrari - 0pera house at left with tall columns. Behind the Opera House is a covered second-hand book market which is surrounded by shops, bars and restaurants. For the price of a glass of Prosecco one gets so many ‘nibbles’ that one is in danger of leaving no room for supper. Turin has a similar custom. Medieval and Renaissance Genoa Before 1100, Genoa emerged as an independent city-state, one of a number of Italian city-states established during this period. Nominally, the Holy Roman Emperor was sovereign and the Bishop of Genoa was head of state; however, actual power was wielded by a number of consuls annually elected by popular assembly. Genoa was one of the states known as Repubbliche Marinare along with Venice, Pisa, and Amalfi.