Moneglia

Moneglia is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about 50 kilometres (31 miles) southeast of Genoa. It is a tourist resort on the Riviera di Levante. In 2012 it was added to the list of "I borghi più belli d'Italia". Geography Topography The village is placed on the eastern Ligurian Riviera, at the mouth of Petronio valley, about 56 kilometres (35 miles) east of Genoa, which is the last town of the province. The village is located inside a large bay bounded by two capes, both rich in Mediterranean vegetation: Punta Moneglia in the west and Punta Rospo in the east. While the first is completely wild and accessible only by trail, the second has several residential areas to the village of Lemeglio. The municipality includes, in addition to the main village, the frazioni of Bracco, Casale, Camposoprano, Comeglio, Crova, Facciù, Lemeglio, Littorno, San Lorenzo, San Saturnino and Tessi. It is bordered to the north by the municipality of Castiglione Chiavarese, to the south is washed by the Ligurian sea, to the west by the municipality of Casarza Ligure and Sestri Levante and to the east by municipality of Deiva Marina, in the province of La Spezia. Climate Moneglia has a Mediterranean climate. The Climatic Classification is "zone D, 1547 GR/G". The summers are quite hot during the day and fresh in the night. The winters are usually quite warm and the temperature rarely goes below zero. Main sights Church of San Giorgio, built in 1396 by Benedictine monks, who were replaced by Franciscan in 1494. The interior houses a wooden sculpture by Anton Maria Maragliano, a canvas of St. George Killing the Dragon attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, a Madonna with Saints by Carlo Dolci and an Adoration of the Magi by Luca Cambiaso. It has also a notable cloister. Church of Santa Croce, built, according to some sources, in 1130, but probably pre-existing. The modern church, in Baroque style, dates to 1725, and houses a statue of Madonna by Maragliano and a Byzantine Crucifix. Oratory of the Disciplinanti, known from the 10th century. It houses frescoes of stories of the Madonna and Jesus. Villafranca Tower, built by the Republic of Genoa around 1130, but later rebuilt during the struggle between the Genoese and the Malaspina family. Monleone Fortress, constructed in 1173 by the Geonese. In 1174 it was besieged by Count Obizzo Malaspina. It houses now an Art Nouveau-style residence, dating to the early 20th century. Economy Tourism The most important economic resource is tourism, Moneglia offers its visitors a variety of attractions. It has wide sandy beaches, many rocky beaches and a large number of small bays accessible only by sea. Many are the nature trails in the hills around the country. The rocky coast of Moneglia is also famous for the presence, in certain areas, of a climbing wall systems. Culture Cuisine The main product of this land is Ligurian olive oil, which has obtained in recent years the PDO "Riviera Ligure di Levante". The cultivation of olive trees has allowed, over the past decades, the emergence of several mills where the production, especially a family, is now widespread. Moneglia oil goes well with fish dishes and Mediterranean diet, of which the Ligurian cuisine is perhaps the ultimate expression. Notable people Nicolò Caveri (also Canerio) who draw in 1502 a map of the "New world", discovered 10 years before by Cristoforo Colombo: the map is now held at Musee hydrographique de la Marine in Paris. Sandro Giacobbe (1951), Italian singer. Luca Cambiaso (1527-1585), artist. Giuseppe Domenico Botto (1791-1865), physicist. Gerolamo Bollo (1866-1931), admiral of Italian Marina. On 29 September 2002 Gianluca Genoni, Italian diver, down in the waters of Moneglia the world record (-132 m) in variable weight. Main events "Carnevale della zucca", in February, a parade of carnival floats. Olive oil festival, on the Easter Monday. "Santa Croce" festival in the Santa Croce church. Transports Roads The village center of Moneglia is crossed by the main coastal road that allows the connection to the west with Sestri Levante via Riva Trigoso and to the east with Deiva Marina, in the province of La Spezia. The nearest motorway junctions are Sestri Levante and Deiva Marina on the Autostrada A12. Further links are the provincial roads n° 55 "of Moneglia" and n° 68 "del Facciù", which are connected, on the hills behind the village, both to the north with the SS1 Aurelia. National rail Moneglia has a railway station on the railway line Genoa-La Spezia-Pisa. Convenient connections with Milan, Genoa, La Spezia, Cinque Terre and the others villages of Ligurian riviera. References External links Official website