Ligurian

Ligurian may mean:

Liguria

Liguria (Italian pronunciation: [liˈɡuːrja], Ligurian: Ligûria; English: Ligury /ˈlɪɡjᵿri/ LIG-ew-ree or LIG-yə-ree) is a coastal region of north-western Italy, with capital Genoa. The region is popular with tourists for its beaches, towns, and cuisine.

Geography

Liguria is bordered by France to the west, Piedmont to the north, and Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany to the east. It lies on the Ligurian Sea. The narrow strip of land is bordered by the sea, the Alps and the Apennines mountains. Some mountains rise above 2000 m; the watershed line runs at an average altitude of about 1000 m. The highest point of the region is the summit of Monte Saccarello (2201 m).

The winding arched extension goes from Ventimiglia to La Spezia. Of this, 3,524.08 square kilometres (1,360.65 sq mi) are mountainous (65% of the total) and 891.95 square kilometres (344.38 sq mi) are hills (35% of the total). Liguria's natural reserves cover 12% of the entire region, or 60,000 hectares of land. They are made up of one national reserve, six large parks, two smaller parks and three nature reserves.

La Spezia

La Spezia (Italian: [la ˈspɛttsja]; Spèza in the local dialect of Ligurian), at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia.

In terms of population, La Spezia is the second city in the Liguria region, preceded just by Genoa. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts the arsenal of the Italian Navy. It is important for its museums, for the Palio del Golfo, and for the railway and boat links with Cinque Terre.

History

The area of La Spezia has been settled since pre-historic times. In Roman times the most important centre was Luni, now located in the vicinity of Sarzana (city near La Spezia). Being the capital of the short-lived Niccolò Fieschi Signoria in the period between 1256 and 1273, inevitably linked with the Genoese vicissitudes until the fall of the Republic of Genoa, it grew and changed to develop following the lines of the Ligurian capital. In fact, this Ligurian influence still is visible in the urban layout as well as in the types of buildings and decorations. It can be seen by going along the carrugio, the narrow street dividing the Old Town into two, called Via del Prione taking its name from a pietrone or large stone, in local dialect in fact prione, from where public announcements were read.

Italian Riviera

The Italian Riviera, or Ligurian Riviera (Italian Riviera ligure) is the narrow coastal strip which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinally it extends from the border with France and the French Riviera (or Côte d'Azur) near Ventimiglia (a former customs post) to Capo Corvo (also known as Punta Bianca) which marks the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia and is close to the border with Tuscany. The Italian Riviera thus includes nearly all of the coastline of Liguria. (Historically it extended further to the west, through what is now French territory as far as Monaco.)

Overview

The riviera's centre is Genoa, which divides it into two main sections: the Riviera di Ponente (“the coast of the setting sun”), extending westwards from Genoa to the French border; and the Riviera di Levante (“the coast of the rising sun”) between Genoa and Capo Corvo.

It is famous for its particularly mild climate and relaxed way of life which, together with the charm of its old fishing ports and the beauty of its landscape, has made it a popular destination for travellers and tourists since the time of Byron and Shelley.

Ligurian Sea

The Ligurian Sea (Italian: Mar Ligure; French: Mer Ligurienne) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Italian Riviera (Liguria and Tuscany) and the island of Corsica. The sea is probably named after the ancient Ligures people.

Geography

The sea borders Italy as far as its border with France, and the French island of Corsica. In the east the sea borders the Tyrrhenian Sea, while in the west it borders the Mediterranean Sea proper. Genoa is the most prominent city in the area. The northwest coast is noted for its scenic beauty and favourable climate.

The Gulf of Genoa is its northernmost part. The sea receives the Arno River from the east and many other rivers that originate in the Apennines. The ports of Genoa, La Spezia, and Livorno are on its rocky coast. It reaches a maximum depth of more than 9,300 feet (2,850 m) northwest of Corsica.

Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Ligurian Sea as follows:

On the Southwest. A line joining Cape Corse (Cape Grosso, 9°23'E) the Northern point of Corsica to the frontier between France and Italy (7°31'E).