History and attractions of Moneglia

Source q-tanch.livejournal.com

Drowning in green olive groves, framed by impregnable high cliffs, Monella, one of the pearls of the eastern coast of Liguria, in ancient times was called "Precious".

It is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, listed by the National Association of Italian Communities (ANCI). People come here to enjoy the magnificent natural surroundings, to go trekking and water sports, and to lie on one of the best beaches in the country.

History

In ancient times, the territory of present-day Moneglia was inhabited by the Ligurian tribes of Tigulli. In the 3rd or 2nd century BC they were overrun by the Romans, who came here to build a route between ancient Gaul and Rome (the "Aurelian Road"). With its construction, the tiny settlement became a significant military post. The first official mention of Monelia dates back to the 4th century, when a town called Ad Monilia appeared on an ancient Roman map (today it can be found in the "Peitinger's Table", a medieval copy of the same map).

In the Middle Ages, the town, as part of the Genoese Republic, participated in wars for maritime domination. The most significant of them was the Battle of Meloria (1284), during which the fleet of Pisa, the main rival of the Genoa Republic, was completely defeated, and finally Pisa lost its status as the most important military and trading country in the Mediterranean. The key moment of the battle was the breaking of the chain blocking the passage of ships to the Pisan port. In honor of the victory in the battle, each city that took part in the battle got a part of the chain from Genoa. Moneglia got two links, which today can be seen on the wall of the Church of the Holy Cross.

On October 24, 1874, another important historical event took place: on this day, the single track railroad that ran along the entire Ligurian coast and connected about 40 towns between Ventimiglia and Massa to Rome began to operate. The most difficult part of the line, due to the harsh mountainous landscape, was the section between Sestri Levante and La Spezia, crossing, among others, Monelia and Cinque Terre. On this 44 km long section, which to this day is considered one of the most difficult in the history of Italy's railroads, 51 tunnels were built! The construction of the road was a revolutionary breakthrough: thanks to it, the completely isolated towns of the coast were connected to the outside world.

Later, in the 40s of the XX century, when the flow of passenger and cargo traffic increased greatly, the railroad was moved higher into the mountains and became a double-track, and the old tunnels were abandoned. But during the Second World War they gave faithful service. In 1945, Monelia suffered from bombardment from the sky, the town was almost completely destroyed, and the locals had no choice but to move to the western tunnel for shelter. About two hundred families settled here, each with its own corner. There was also a municipality, a pharmacy, a hospital and a chapel. From the neighboring municipality of Casarza Ligure, sellers of food and necessities came to the tunnel. This went on for seven months until the war ended and the inhabitants were able to leave the shelter.

Today, a highway runs through the old tunnels surrounding Moneglia. Those wishing to walk along the former railroad track can do so in the towns of Levanto, Bonassola and Framoura, where the old tunnels have been converted into bicycle and walking paths.

Monella attractions

The center of Monella was originally divided by the San Lorenzo Creek into two quarters: the "Signor's Quarter" on the east and the "Fishermen's Quarter" on the west. Each quarter had its own parish church and patron saint (the signors had the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the fishermen had St. George the Victorious). The people of the neighborhoods were feuding with each other, and some clashes between them even ended in brawls and stone-throwing. Clashes also occurred during church processions.

But grief brings people together: living side by side in a railroad tunnel during World War II was able to reconcile the warring parties. At the end of the war, the first friendly soccer match was held between the neighborhoods, followed by the first joint religious procession. The final reconciliation occurred in 1964, when the shallowing creek was encased in a pipe and a boulevard was built in its place, linking the city together.

The Church of the Holy Cross and the Oratory of the Flagellants

The tradition of honoring the Holy Cross dates back to ancient times in Moneglia. Documents record that the first church was completed in the 13th century. The church has been rebuilt several times, the last great reconstruction was made in 1726. The appearance of the church is simple and laconic. It is complemented by a graceful bell tower, majestically rising above the city center.

Inside the church are works by Moneglia native and famous artist Luca Cambiaso ("The Last Supper") and famous Genoese sculptor Anton Maria Maragliano ("Immaculate Conception").

Next to the church is the Flagellant Oratory, built in the Baroque style. The building is believed to date back to the 10th century. Inside the Oratory are well preserved medieval frescoes about the Passion of Christ and a wooden cross from 1291. It is quite difficult to get into the Oratory, as it is open to the public a few days a year, on major religious holidays.

Church of St. George the Victorious and the Abbey

The Gothic "striped" Church of St. George the Victorious was built in 1380-1396 by Benedictine monks. The monks built a new church because their old church had been desecrated. It so happened that the bell tower of the new church was lower than the old one. For six centuries this confusion was ignored until in the middle of the twentieth century they decided to shorten the bell tower of the abandoned church. Today it is a residential house.

Let us return to the church of St. George the Victorious. Rough restoration, carried out in 1704, noticeably simplified the appearance of the church. From the outside, the building looks rather modest. The true treasure is inside the church. The most interesting are the masterly wooden sculpture of St. George slaying of the dragon by Pietro Galleano (a pupil of Anton Maria Maragliano) and the painting of the same name, presumably by Pieter Paul Rubens. The works of Luca Cambiaso ("Adoration of the Magi") and Carlo Dolci ("Our Lady and St. Peter") are also noteworthy.

To the left of the church is the Franciscan monastery (1484) with a pretty courtyard. An exclusive historic hotel is now housed within the walls of the monastery.

Monleone Fortress and De Fornari Castle

The fortress of Monleone was located on a steep hill in the western part of Moneglia. Built in 1173 by the Genoese Republic in a short time (less than a year), it was already attacked in 1174 by the soldiers of the Count Condottiere Obizzo Malaspina, incited by the Pisans, the perennial enemies of the Genoese. Malaspina was also joined by a local resident, Count Passano, and eventually the attackers' army amounted to 3000 infantry and 150 cavalrymen. The castle garrison staunchly held the defense, and help from Genoa arrived in time. The attackers were expelled and Count Passano lost his castle (today his castle has been restored and it is located in the village of Krova).

The next treacherous attack of the Malaspina family happened in 1397. This time everything ended sadly for Moneglia: the owner of the castle and his people were killed, and the town was looted and set on fire.

Today, the former glory of the Monleone fortress is evidenced by the perfectly preserved fortress wall with its battlements and some ruins. There is a path around the perimeter of the wall that offers magnificent views.

A romantic Art Nouveau castle was built within the walls of the fortress at the beginning of the 20th century by the Marquise de Fornari. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful garden with sculptures and a hand-made grotto in front of the entrance. Unfortunately, it is impossible to get into the castle and garden. Moreover, it has recently been put up for sale.

Villafranca Castle

The castle was located in the eastern part of Monella, standing proudly above the sea shore. It had a pentagonal perimeter base and ended at the top with a tower surrounded by a viewpoint. The defensive structure was built by the Genoese Republic in 1130. In XIV-XV centuries it successfully repelled attacks of the same sworn enemy of the Republic - the powerful Tuscan family Malaspina.

The castle was strongly damaged by bombardment during the Second World War. Now partially restored, it is used as an open-air exhibition and concert venue. The castle is surrounded by a delightful garden, which can be visited free of charge. The ruins of the castle offer a beautiful view to the city.

The beautiful, privately owned old Villa Maria is located near the castle. It is surrounded by picturesque vineyards.

Festivals

"Doppio Giallo" is a literary and cinematographic festival dedicated to crime and noir novels. It is held annually in July for a week on a site organized on the ruins of Villafranca Castle. Visitors will meet famous writers of the genre, journalists and detectives, themed gastronomic evenings, plays and musicals, as well as a book fair.

"Carnevale della zucca" ("Pumpkin Carnival"), a children's carnival with street processions and theatrical performances. It is held in February.

Olive Oil Festival is held the day after Easter. At the fair you can taste and buy traditional products of Monella: olive oil, pates, olives produced in the village of Faciu, white wine from grapes grown in the hills of Lemello, home-made beer from the village of Bracco. There are also gastronomic stands from other communes, offering, for example, cheeses from the Vara Valley, sweets made with piedmont hazelnuts, porcini mushrooms, honey and much more.

At the festival you can also try a traditional Ligurian dish - testaroli with pesto sauce (flatbreads, a bit like fritters, cooked in closed clay pots on fire).

Active vacation

The natural beauty of the region - forested mountains, terraced olive groves, azure sea and coves - make Monelia a very attractive area for land and water activities.

Trekking and biking

The area around Monella is punctuated with a variety of hiking trails to suit all tastes: there are asphalt and country roads, as well as ancient trails where mules used to be carried. However, it should be noted that all walks will require climbing to a height of at least 200 meters. The most interesting routes pass through the villages of Monellia. In San Lorenzo, surrounded by olive groves, you can see the oldest church in the area. Lemello, a small medieval quarter with its "striped" Genoese church, rising above the eastern cape, offers a splendid panoramic view to Moneglia.

More experienced hikers can climb to the mountain tops of Monte Comunaglia (432 m), Monte Monella (521 m) and Monte Incisa (514 m). It is advisable to have trekking shoes and trekking poles for such hikes.

One of the most memorable routes is a walking or cycling trip to Cape Punta Baffe, where there is an ancient Saracen tower, recently completely restored.

Other interesting bike routes in Moneglia counties, links to detailed descriptions:
- San Lorenzo
- San Saturnino
- Comeglio
- Masso (historical village in the commune of Castiglione Chiavarese)

Water activities

Snorkeling is recommended in the western part of Moneglia Bay, near the rocks. On the rocks that make up the breakwater, you can watch small crabs in the evening.

Kayaking fans can be rented a kayak at the beach of Bagni Letizia. We suggest going west along the coast towards Riva Trigoso. Cape Punta Moneglia has a dramatic beauty: the "Blue Grotto" and the cliffs of bizarrely upturned sedimentary rocks will not leave anyone indifferent. You can also go in the direction of Deiva Marina.

Near the eastern cape of Punta Rospo is the dive club of the same name. Details at www.puntarospo.com/.

Rock Climbing

Rock climbing fans can climb the almost vertical smooth slope of the western cape of Punta Moneglia.

Ligurian cuisine: what to try and where to eat

Most restaurants are located on the central avenue with palm trees, as well as in the narrow streets of the old town ("caruggi"). The most interesting dishes to try in Moneglia are: polpo e patate - octopus with boiled potatoes (Sciamadda and Tender restaurants), tuna alla mediterranea - Mediterranean-style tuna, zuppa di cristacei - langoustines, mussels and shrimp in sauce, gnocchi con zucchine e gamberi - gnocchi with shrimp and zucchini (Tender restaurant), tomato and anchovy bagnun soup and polpo antico ligure - Ligurian octopus (U Limottu osteria).

Almost all restaurants offers typical Ligurian dishes, such as trofie al pesto (trofie al pesto), mussels in white wine or tomato sauce (zuppa di cozze), mixed fried fish and seafood (fritto misto di pesce), grilled dorada or sea bass (orata/branzino alla griglia), spaghetti with seafood (spaghetti ai frutti di mare).

Gourmets, who are not afraid of going to the mountains for good food, as well as happy owners of a car, I recommend to go to the village of Tessi and visit the restaurant Casa di Dragutte. You will be impressed by the taste of unusual dishes offered here, the size of portions and humane (compared to the coast) prices. Despite the fact that this restaurant is for locals, the friendly owner-chef Petrino always welcomes new faces. Soulful service, and a terrace with a stunning view to the sea from a height of more than 250 meters.

For a quick snack, focaccia is the perfect choice. You can buy tasty and inexpensive focaccia at Focacce e Pizze ai metri, located at the beginning of the main street. You should try the thin, double-layered Focaccia di Recco filled with stracchino cheese, as well as traditional puffed focaccia: with onions, tomatoes and mozzarella, with gorgonzolla, with prosciutto crudo and artichokes (in artichoke season), and, of course, farinata di ceci, a traditional Genoese soft flatbread made of chickpea flour. Focaccia Recco is best eaten hot and cold and. If it is not a snack but a full meal, it is best enjoyed at Restaurant Sciamadda.

Pizza is less typical of Liguria than focaccia, however, there are a couple of good pizzerias in Moniglia. When choosing where to eat pizza in Moniglia, consider the huge garden pizzeria La Pagoda at the La Residense Hotel and the tiny family-run Il Cioco, located in the narrow streets of the old town, near the Church of the Holy Cross. Excellent takeaway pizzas are available at Pizza d'Asporto.

The traditional Ligurian lemon pie with piña nuts (torta di pinoli) is a great choice for dessert, especially at the Sciamadda restaurant and La Pagoda pizzeria. A glass of limoncello or mirtillo will harmoniously complete the dinner.