Sestri Levante (Sestri Levante in Ligurian; Segesta Tiguliorum in Latin) is an Italian town of 18 225 inhabitants in the metropolitan city of Genoa in Liguria. Due to its geographic conformation it is locally defined as the "city of the two seas" or the "bi-mare", being the historical center of Sestri overlooking the two bays "delle Favole" and "del Silenzio". It is the fourth largest municipality in the metropolitan area by number of inhabitants.
Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth in the capital. Built in the 17th
century, it has a neoclassical pronaos. Inside there are paintings from
the Baroque era and a wooden Pietà by Anton Maria Maragliano. In the
eighteenth century, Sestri Levante often permanently hosted the bishop
of Brugnato (to whose diocese Sestri Levante belonged until 1959) and
the church of Santa Maria di Nazaret was elevated to a co-cathedral,
with the bishop's permission to consecrate the holy oils during Easter
rites.
Church of San Nicolò dell'Isola in the capital. The church is
the oldest religious building in the city, built in 1151 in Romanesque
style. Until the 17th century it was the parish church of Sestri
Levante, a title now belonging to the church of Santa Maria di Nazaret.
The building was transformed into a Baroque style during the 15th
century, bringing to light the primitive architectural style. The
external facade was rebuilt in the fifteenth century and has a
pseudo-prothyrum portal surmounted by a three-mullioned window; on the
sides of the building there are epigraphs and ancient tombstones from
the Middle Ages. The bell tower with a pyramidal cusp has a double
lancet belfry. The interior, in Gothic style, is made up of three naves
divided by columns with cubic capitals.
Parish church of Santo
Stefano del Ponte in the capital. The construction of the church dates
back to the early Christian era, even if there are no remains of the
original church, at least on the surface. The present building, which
was later enlarged and enriched, dates back to the 18th century.
Church of San Pietro in Vincoli in the capital. Located in the heart of
the ancient Sestrese village, in vico Macelli, it was built by the
Capuchin Friars Minor in 1640 with the adjoining convent structure. The
new urbanization of Sestri Levante in the following years, which no
longer allowed the friars proper isolation, meant that the latter
preferred to move to another location, selling the structure to the
secular priests of San Pietro in Vincoli in 1686.
Church of the
institute of the pious teacher nuns, in the capital. An ancient
monastery of blue nuns, it is located along the top of the promontory,
near the ancient eastern gate of the island, and its foundation dates
back to 1658 when the monastic religious order arrived in Sestri
Levante. The structure, enlarged and rebuilt several times over the
centuries, was abandoned by the nuns at the end of the 18th century due
to the suppression imposed in 1798 by the new Napoleonic domination.
Since 1829, the building has housed the Sisters of the Presentation, who
still reside in the ancient monastery.
Parish Church of Sant'Antonio,
in the capital. The present structure dates back to the sixties of the
twentieth century, designed by the architect Ceschi, but several
religious buildings were already built on the site of today's temple.
Here there was an ancient oratory dedicated to Saints John the
Evangelist and Anthony and it was the minor conventual friars who, in
1647, built a new church of the same name. Becoming a possession of the
secular clergy in 1798, it was declared a branch of the basilica of
Santa Maria di Nazareth in 1855 and in 1948 elevated to the title of
parish with the establishment of the homonymous parish.
Church of San
Sebastiano or Sant'Anna, in the capital; located along the Via Antica
Romana, it was built between the 17th and 18th centuries.
Marian
Eucharistic temple-shrine of Christ the King in the capital. Built
between 1929 and 1933, it is adjacent to the house of the Opera
Madonnina del Grappa.
Convent of the Capuchin friars and church of
Santa Maria Immacolata in the capital. Located in an elevated position
above sea level, near the Bay of Silence, it is a building from 1688
erected in medieval style with the characteristic facade with black and
white bands. The Capuchin convent is annexed to the structure. Inside
there is a wooden statue of the Immaculate Conception from the 18th
century on the main altar, a painting by Domenico Fiasella depicting the
miracle of St. Anthony of Padua and the canvas depicting St. Felix of
Cantalice receiving from the Virgin by the same painter the Child Jesus.
Former convent of the Annunziata in the capital. Dating back to the 15th
century, the former convent, after having been a famous marine colony,
is now a venue for cultural conferences.
Going up towards the
Sestrese promontory, the remains of the ancient oratory of Santa
Caterina are still visible today, built in 1578 and heavily devastated
during the air raids of 1944 in the Second World War.
Noble chapel of
the Cattaneo Della Volta family, in the capital, built during the 17th
century to a design by Giacomo Gaggini; the site is privately owned.
Parish church of Santa Margherita in the hamlet of Fossa Lupara. The
previous parish church was located on the site where the Fossa Lupara
cemetery is located today; the building was demolished in 1739, then
rebuilt and consecrated by Monsignor Giuseppe Stella on 27 August 1958.
Its parish dates back to 1060 and once it was suppressed it was
incorporated into the community of Santo Stefano del Ponte; it was
re-established by the diocese of Brugnato in 1678.
Church of San
Pietro in the hamlet of Libiola.
Parish church of San Giacomo in the
hamlet of Loto. His community was present, according to some sources, as
early as 1540 and between 1583 and 1835 he also had the parish of Saints
Cyprian and Justina of Sambuceto under his "cure of souls". Since 1939
he has held the title of provost.
Church of San Martino in the hamlet
of Montedomenico.
Parish church of San Paolo in the hamlet of Pila.
Erected in contemporary times and consecrated on 26 October 1980 by the
bishop of Chiavari Monsignor Daniele Ferrari, its parish community was
detached from the community of Santa Margherita di Fossa Lupara in 1955
on the decision of Monsignor Giuseppe Stella of the diocese of La
Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato.
Parish Church of San Pietro Apostolo in the
hamlet of Riva. Built between 1861 and 1863, it has been a parish since
1874. Recently it has added to its architecture the mosaic decoration of
the square in front and the bronze doors. It is embellished by a
valuable organ from 1896, built by the Pistoia organ builder Filippo
Tronci.
Church of Sant'Andrea in the hamlet of Rovereto.
Parish
church of San Bartolomeo and sanctuary of Nostra Signora del Soccorso in
the hamlet of San Bartolomeo della Ginestra. The parish building is
located in the homonymous Sestrese hamlet and is also known by the name
of sanctuary of Nostra Signora del Soccorso, a title that was attributed
to it in 1750. The present structure dates back to the reconstruction
that took place in 1838, when the first stone attended by Saint Anthony
Maria Gianelli.
Parish church of San Bernardo di Chiaravalle in the
hamlet of San Bernardo delle Cascine. The first official news on the
existence of the primitive church, originally dedicated to San Quirico,
dates back to 1151. Today's parish church, today dedicated to San
Bernardo, dates back to the subsequent reconstruction that took place in
1636.
Ruins of the church of Saints Quirico and Giuditta in the
hamlet of San Bernardo delle Cascine; traces of the remains of the
primary building are now incorporated in the local fractional cemetery.
Parish church of Santa Vittoria in the hamlet of Santa Vittoria di
Libiola. According to historical sources it would have been built in the
11th century. It became a parish-monastic priory whose fathers then
depended on the abbey of San Fruttuoso between 1308 and 1399. It was the
work of the protempore archpriest of San Martino d'Albaro of Genoa, and
through the noble Genoese family of Bernabò Brea, that the church was
elevated to the title of abbey. Inside are preserved the ancient relics
of the saint.
Ruins of the church of Sant'Anna at the Rocche di
Sant'Anna. The building, whose first layout dates back to the 16th
century and was revisited during the 18th century, is located along the
ancient route linking Cavi di Lavagna and Sestri Levante.
Church of
Sant'Anna in the hamlet of Tassani.
Parish church of Santa Sabina in
the hamlet of Trigoso. According to some sources, it was already present
in the 7th century and was rebuilt in 1642. Of particular artistic
importance is the mosaic churchyard in front of it made of sea pebbles,
taken over in 1998 from the original made in the 19th century.
Oratory of Our Lady of the Rosary in the hamlet of Trigoso, adjacent to
the parish church.
Noble chapel of the Cattaneo Della Volta family, in the capital,
built during the 17th century to a design by Giacomo Gaggini; the site
is privately owned.
Parish church of Santa Margherita in the hamlet
of Fossa Lupara. The previous parish church was located on the site
where the Fossa Lupara cemetery is located today; the building was
demolished in 1739, then rebuilt and consecrated by Monsignor Giuseppe
Stella on 27 August 1958. Its parish dates back to 1060 and once it was
suppressed it was incorporated into the community of Santo Stefano del
Ponte; it was re-established by the diocese of Brugnato in 1678.
Church of San Pietro in the hamlet of Libiola.
Parish church of San
Giacomo in the hamlet of Loto. His community was present, according to
some sources, as early as 1540 and between 1583 and 1835 he also had the
parish of Saints Cyprian and Justina of Sambuceto under his "cure of
souls". Since 1939 he has held the title of provost.
Church of San
Martino in the hamlet of Montedomenico.
Parish church of San Paolo in
the hamlet of Pila. Erected in contemporary times and consecrated on 26
October 1980 by the bishop of Chiavari Monsignor Daniele Ferrari, its
parish community was detached from the community of Santa Margherita di
Fossa Lupara in 1955 on the decision of Monsignor Giuseppe Stella of the
diocese of La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato.
Parish Church of San Pietro
Apostolo in the hamlet of Riva. Built between 1861 and 1863, it has been
a parish since 1874. Recently it has added to its architecture the
mosaic decoration of the square in front and the bronze doors. It is
embellished by a valuable organ from 1896, built by the Pistoia organ
builder Filippo Tronci.
Church of Sant'Andrea in the hamlet of
Rovereto.
Parish church of San Bartolomeo and sanctuary of Nostra
Signora del Soccorso in the hamlet of San Bartolomeo della Ginestra. The
parish building is located in the homonymous Sestrese hamlet and is also
known by the name of sanctuary of Nostra Signora del Soccorso, a title
that was attributed to it in 1750. The present structure dates back to
the reconstruction that took place in 1838, when the first stone
attended by Saint Anthony Maria Gianelli.
Parish church of San
Bernardo di Chiaravalle in the hamlet of San Bernardo delle Cascine. The
first official news on the existence of the primitive church, originally
dedicated to San Quirico, dates back to 1151. Today's parish church,
today dedicated to San Bernardo, dates back to the subsequent
reconstruction that took place in 1636.
Ruins of the church of Saints
Quirico and Giuditta in the hamlet of San Bernardo delle Cascine; traces
of the remains of the primary building are now incorporated in the local
fractional cemetery.
Parish church of Santa Vittoria in the hamlet of
Santa Vittoria di Libiola. According to historical sources it would have
been built in the 11th century. It became a parish-monastic priory whose
fathers then depended on the abbey of San Fruttuoso between 1308 and
1399. It was the work of the protempore archpriest of San Martino
d'Albaro of Genoa, and through the noble Genoese family of Bernabò Brea,
that the church was elevated to the title of abbey. Inside are preserved
the ancient relics of the saint.
Ruins of the church of Sant'Anna at
the Rocche di Sant'Anna. The building, whose first layout dates back to
the 16th century and was revisited during the 18th century, is located
along the ancient route linking Cavi di Lavagna and Sestri Levante.
Church of Sant'Anna in the hamlet of Tassani.
Parish church of Santa
Sabina in the hamlet of Trigoso. According to some sources, it was
already present in the 7th century and was rebuilt in 1642. Of
particular artistic importance is the mosaic churchyard in front of it
made of sea pebbles, taken over in 1998 from the original made in the
19th century.
Oratory of Our Lady of the Rosary in the hamlet of
Trigoso, adjacent to the parish church.
Durazzo-Pallavicini Palace. Seat of the town hall, it is located in
the central Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, the latter being the heart of the
primary medieval village of Sestri Levante. The palace was erected in
the second half of the 17th century and preserves in the council
chamber, on the second floor, a painting by the painter Francesco
Bassano portraying the Adoration of the Magi.
Palazzo Fascie Rossi,
in the historical centre, seat of the civic library and since 2013 of
the archaeological museum of the city.
Palazzo Lena, formerly Doria,
overlooking the square of the Sestrese basilica. It remained among the
properties of the Doriesca family at least until the eighteenth century,
when it passed to the Lenas.
Palazzo Negrotto Cambiaso, near the bay
of Portobello, from the 17th century.
Palazzo Cattaneo Della Volta,
formerly Doria and Durazzo. Built in the mid-fifteenth century, it is an
eighteenth-century construction and retains an annexed and coeval
chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and the work of Giacomo
Gaggini commissioned by the owner Giuseppe Maria Durazzo in 1725; Gio
Antonio Ricca also collaborated in the work on the chapel. Inside it has
several niches in the pillars of the hemispherical dome, the latter
covered with polychrome scales and surmounted by a lantern, where there
are some stucco statues by Gaggini himself depicting Saints Joachim and
Anna, Saint Elizabeth and Saint Joseph with Jesus Child.
Villa Balbi,
formerly Brignole. Ancient noble residence of the Brignole family, it
was built during the 17th century on the Sestre seafront; during the
19th century it passed to the Balbi nobles, from which the current
denomination derives. Today converted to hotel use, as well as adjacent
noble palaces on the avenue, it has a valuable Italian-style park-garden
in the internal property.
Villa Matilde, formerly Piuma, on the
western side of the Sestrese peninsula. Depicted in a painting from the
mid-17th century, it underwent radical transformations following the
damage suffered during the Second World War; privately owned, it is
divided into apartments.
Villa Domus, formerly Mantelli, on the
southern side of the Sestrese peninsula. It was built between 1938 and
1940, in a rationalist style, based on a project by the architect Luigi
Carlo Daneri. Today it is for hotel use.
Villa Foppiano, built
between 1956 and 1958 to a design by the architect Daneri, on the cliff
stretch of the peninsula between Villa Domus and the former Annunziata
complex.
Villa Rimassa, formerly Durazzo-Solari-Serlupi. Built at the
behest of Cesare Durazzo, doge of the Republic of Genoa in the two-year
period 1665-1667, the villa hosted the Emperor Joseph II of Austria in
February 1784. It dates back to the 19th century and is located near the
church of Santo Stefano del Ponte. Of great importance are the trees,
among which the majestic cedars of Lebanon, holm oaks and large camphors
stand out. The patronal residence is accessed via large stairways which
also lead to the production center of the villa itself: a complex of
farmhouses.
Villa Sertorio, near the Gromolo stream (covered
stretch), built in the second half of the 18th century.
Villa
Sopranis, formerly Sertorio, built in the 18th century near the Viale
Mazzini seafront.
Villa Serlupi d'Ongran (or Villa Teca), formerly
Spinola formerly Pallavicino.
Castelli Gualino, today Grand Hotel dei
Castelli, on the promontory of Sestri Levante. These are three buildings
in neo-medieval style built between 1925 and 1929 to a design by
architects Clemente and Michele Busiri Vici, with the advice of the art
critic Lionello Venturi, commissioned by the Piedmontese industrialist
and art patron Riccardo Gualino. The Castello dei Cipressi was intended
as the residence of the Gualino family, the Castello dei Lecci as a
guest house and the Castello delle Agavi as a service room and servants'
quarters. In 1950 they were transformed into a hotel, a function they
still perform today.
Palazzo Chiarella, formerly the Pallavicini
farm, in the hamlet of Fossa Lupara; built during the eighteenth
century.
Villa Pallavicini in the hamlet of Santa Vittoria di
Libiola.
Palazzo Fieschi in the hamlet of Trigoso. It preserves a
small chapel founded in 1270 by Cardinal Ottobono Fieschi, the future
Pope Adrian V.
Medieval bridge, humpbacked, overhanging the Gromolo
stream between the town of Sestre and Santo Stefano del Ponte.
Five
bridges in Valle del Fico of probable Roman origin, restored in the
Middle Ages, along the route that from the chapel of San Sebastiano
rises to the ruins of Sant'Anna which is part of the Via Aemilia Scauri
(subsequently called Via Aurelia).
Near the promontory, where the park of the Grand Hotel dei Castelli
stands today, stood the castle built by the Republic of Genoa in 1145.
The ancient Genoese fortress was partially rebuilt in 1440 and entirely
transformed into a cemetery during 1810 until its complete demolition in
the early 20th century.
It was again the Genoese republic, during
the 16th century, who built a defense tower of the village in the
historic center of Sestre. A defensive construction, known locally as
Torre dei Doganieri, which was discovered only in 1951 following a
violent explosion caused by the explosion of an explosive depot in an
adjacent room. The collapse of some houses in the historic centre, which
in addition to the damage to the houses caused some victims, brought out
the still intact remains of the medieval tower, incorporated into the
buildings, of which there was no memory until that moment. Once the
debris has been removed, the small square in front of the tower is named
after Dina Bellotti and located near the church of San Pietro in
Vincoli. The Torre dei Doganieri, owned by the municipality, is home to
cultural events, shows and exhibitions.
Between 1925 and 1928 the
so-called "Castelli Gualino" will be erected, imitating the ancient
medieval style, now converted to hotel use; the structure is connected
to the underlying marina with the aid of an elevator.
Bring them
In the heart of the historic city center, numerous slate portals from
the 14th century can be seen, especially in via XXV Aprile - the
"carrugio" for Sestresi - still today an important commercial axis for
artisan activities
Sagra del Bagnun (fraction of Riva Trigoso). penultimate weekend of
July. With free tasting of the homonymous local fish dish with
anchovies, tomato and sailor biscuits.
Andersen Award, Bay of
Silence. End of May. Competition and festival for children and more; in
particular, a literary competition dedicated to readings for children
and teenagers.
Maritime Palio of Tigullio, Gulf of Tigullio. Summer.
Rowing competitions on traditional Ligurian goiters between Santa
Margherita Ligure, San Michele di Pagana, Rapallo, Zoagli, Chiavari,
Lavagna and Sestri Levante.
Sailing boat excursions (silentbay), via Cappellini 4, ☎ +39 3207586263, info@silentbay.it. €40.
In its territory an excellent olive oil is produced; Sestri Levante is part of the National Association of Oil Cities.
1 The two seagulls, Via Nazionale, 500, ☎ +39 0185 43807, +39 0185
42135, fax: +39 0185 43807, iinfo@iduegabbiani.com. It offers takeaway
and home delivery services.
2 Ristorante San Marco, Via Pilade
Queirolo, 27, ☎ +39 0185 41459, fax: +39 0185 41459. €15-45 (menu). Open
for lunch and dinner, except on Wednesdays from 1st October to 24th
April. With terrace overlooking the sea; pets allowed.
3 Kebabis,
Viale Roma, 80-82 (A few steps from the train station), ☏ +39 339
1480448, info@kebabisgrill.com. Sun-Fri 11-02, Sat 11-04. Restaurant
serving "halal" meat; offers home delivery service from 6pm to 11pm
(free for amounts over €12). The menus consist of focaccia, wraps,
pizzas and other dishes.
Average prices
1 Locanda del Borgo, Via Aurelia, 249, ☎ +39 0185
485229, fax: +39 010 8900416, info@locandaborgo.it. €60-90, depending on
the season. Half board service, including parking, air conditioning,
Wi-Fi Internet connection and pay TV.
High prices
2 Hotel
Miramare, Via Cappellini 9, ☎ +39 0185 480855, fax: +39 0185 41055,
info@miramaresestrilevante.com. The hotel offers a 15-20 seat cinema
room (convertible into a conference room), Wi-Fi Internet connection,
breakfast, laundry facilities and private beach.
3 Hotel Vis à Vis,
Via della Chiusa, 28, ☎ +39 0185 42661, fax: +39 0185 480853,
visavis@hotelvisavis.com. 4-star hotel with a splendid view of the Bay
of Silence from above. 10% discount on Internet rates if you book by
phone.
Particularly appreciated is the excursion towards Punta Manara (166 m asl), with a path that begins like a typical Ligurian creuza from a portico on Via XXV Aprile and reaches the tip of the promontory after about 1 hour of walking following two squares as trail markers reds. From the cape you can appreciate a splendid view of the promontory of Sestri with the Baia del Silenzio, and on the other side Riva Trigoso. Feasible in all seasons, even by children.
The territory of Sestri Levante is located
in the eastern Ligurian Riviera, and precisely it is one of the last
places facing east on the Gulf of Tigullio, east of Genoa.
It
rises on the alluvial plain of the Gromolo stream, close to a rocky
promontory, usually called "the island", stretching towards the sea,
and joined to the mainland by an isthmus which divides the "Baia
delle Favole", where the marina and whose name was attributed by the
writer Hans Christian Andersen (who stayed in Sestri Levante in
1833), from the smaller but even more suggestive "Bay of Silence".
Another barrier before the beaches of the hamlet of Riva
Trigoso, which continue to Borgo Renà, is the promontory of Punta
Manara and Monte Castello (265 m). In the locality of Renà stands
the characteristic rock of "Assêu", surmounted by a cross, and
further east are Punta Baffe and Monte Moneglia (521 m) which hide
the view of Vallegrande and the territory of Moneglia.
The
historic center develops between the two bays and the isthmus, while
the more modern part occupies the plain which, extending between the
sea and the hills of the hinterland, divides Sestri Levante to the
north from the Graveglia valley with Mont Blanc, 876 meters high. m,
and north-east from Val Petronio with Mount Caddio (390 m), Mount
Bomba (608 m) and Mount Incisa (700 m); to the north-west, the
Sant'Anna promontory continues along a difficult but suggestive and
panoramic ridge over the Gulf of Tigullio, up to the Costello (498
m), Zucchetto (614 m) and Capenardo (693 m) mountains.
Like many other Ligurian villages, the city dates back to
the ancient peoples called Liguri, more specifically called Tigulli,
hence the name of the current geographical area called Tigullio.
In ancient times Sestri Levante consisted of an islet consisting
of the current promontory which to the south is located overlooking
the sea. This islet was, only in the modern age, joined to the
mainland by a thin isthmus formed by the deposits of the numerous
and periodic floods of the Gromolo stream and by the constant action
of the sea.
In Roman times it is testified with the name of
Segesta Tigulliorum or Segeste and became an important commercial
center, especially for maritime traffic; the nearby road links with
the Bracco pass and the Velva pass in fact allowed for a significant
exchange of raw materials with the hinterland of the Petronio,
Graveglia, Vara valleys and with the Lunigiana.
During the
seventh century, in the Lombard period, Liguria was conquered by
King Rotari and subsequently the Lombard king Liutprando favored the
spread of monasticism with the monks of Bobbio who went down to the
sea to the area of Moneglia and in the Ligurian east from the
possessions of the val d'Aveto, Sturla and Fontanabuona. They
developed the territory with numerous farms and monastic cells.
Charlemagne with the imperial diploma of 5 June 774 donated the
territory and the port of Moneglia to the monks of the abbey of San
Colombano di Bobbio, founded by San Colombano in 614; together with
the other Ligurian possessions they favored trade and agriculture
with links to the Po Valley. The monastic order directly owned the
port of Moneglia, Alpe Adra, with the whole Val Petronio, Mount San
Nicolao, the coast between Sestri Levante, Moneglia, the tip of
Moneglia and Deiva Marina and the hinterland between Casarza Ligure
and Castiglione Chiavarese and also the whole territory up to the
forest of Montelungo di Pontremoli.
The village is mentioned
among the possessions of the Wala Charter, drawn up in 834 by the
abbot of Bobbio Wala, cousin of Charlemagne, and also in a 909
diploma of King Berengar, in which part of the territory was ceded
to the basilica of San Giovanni of Pavia.
Decayed during the
period of the barbarian invasions, in the Middle Ages the
municipality expanded, expanding into the mainland; previously the
nucleus was born close to the promontory constituting a natural
fortress. Interested in 1070 like the other villages of Tigullio by
the naval battles between Genoa and the rival Pisa, in 1072, thanks
to the alliance of the two families Malaspina and Fieschi, the
property of the fief was subjected to these families, removing it
from the orbit Genoese politics.
Returned under the political control of the Republic of Genoa in
1134, it was chosen as the capital of the local podestà from 1212
under the jurisdiction of the capitanate of Chiavari. In 1145, Genoa
bought the highest part of Sestri from the abbey of San Colombano di
Bobbio and built a castle there.
An attempted siege was
initiated by the army of Lucca in 1327, led by the Lucca lord
Castruccio Castracani, but ended negatively. The Viscontis succeeded
instead in 1365, who, besieged the village, established a small
territorial domain in the area. Also in the feudal era, Sestri
Levante also suffered the rivalry between the Guelph (the Solari)
and Ghibelline (the De Castello) families, with notable local
scuffles. It was the naval fleet of the Republic of Venice that
attempted a new assault on the Sestrese fiefdom in 1432, but with a
negative outcome like the Tuscans a hundred years earlier. Instead,
damage and looting created the two successive invasions by Turkish
and Saracen pirates, respectively in 1542 and 1607.
In 1797,
with the French domination of Napoleon Bonaparte, it returned from
December 2 to the Department of Entella, with Chiavari as its
capital, within the Ligurian Republic. From April 28, 1798, Sestri
Levante returned to Canton I, as the capital, of the jurisdiction of
Gromolo and Vara and from 1803 the main center of the seventh canton
of Gromolo in the jurisdiction of Entella. Annexed to the First
French Empire, from 13 June 1805 to 1814 it was included in the
Department of the Apennines.
In 1815 it was incorporated into
the Kingdom of Sardinia, according to the decisions of the Congress
of Vienna in 1814, which submitted the municipality of Sestri
Levante in the province of Chiavari under the division of Genoa.
From 1859 to 1926 the territory was included in the third district
of the same name in the Chiavari district of the then province of
Genoa, in the Kingdom of Italy.
A tragic event struck the
city in 1920: during the celebrations of November 4, an anarchist
threw a bomb on the crowd, killing one person and injuring 13
others. Among these, the commemorative plaque placed on Palazzo
Fascie Rossi remembers "above all Vincenzo Cappellini who the
fratricidal infamy redeemed by shouting Viva l'Italia.
From
1973 to 31 December 2008 he was part of the Val Petronio mountain
community, until the dissolution of the community.
Schools
Sestri Levante is home to the State Institute of Higher
Education named after Giulio Natta and Giovanni Vittorio Deambrosis
which includes the following courses related to the upper secondary
school cycle:
Scientific high school (applied science option -
so-called "technological scientific high school");
Economic Sector
Technical Institute (Finance Administration and Marketing);
Technological sector technical institute, divided into "Electronics and
electrotechnics", "Mechanics, mechatronics and energy" and "IT and
telecommunications".
The Institute itself has a branch in Chiavari,
where the Professional Institute for Industry and Crafts is active.
Archaeological Museum of the city of Sestri Levante, open to the
public since spring 2013, is housed in the exhibition halls of the
Fascie Rossi palace in the historic center of Sestri. Part of the
material was transferred from the archaeological museum of Chiavari.
Mineralogical collection of Villa Tassani: there are minerals from the
Libiola mines already exploited in Roman times.
Art galleries
Pinacoteca-Gallery "Marcello Rizzi". Housed in the building of the same
name in front of the Baia del Silenzio beach, the gallery was born in
the testamentary will of Marcello Rizzi who, upon his death, wanted his
residence to become a real city museum where he could exhibit his
personal works of art and objects to the public. you have collected over
the years. Opened in 1960, the management of the museum is taken care of
by a special foundation which, in addition to the conservation, also
takes care of the study of the works. Various works are kept and
exhibited on the three floors of the building, including paintings by
the most famous Genoese, Ligurian and Emilian painters, sculptures and
ceramics typical of western Liguria.
In the "city of two seas" in 1959, at the Hotel dei Castelli, the film Hard times for vampires with Renato Rascel and some scenes from the film Genova - A place to start again in 2008 by Michael Winterbottom with Colin Firth were filmed; the locations chosen for this last feature film were those of the Bay of Silence and the seafront.
The Scottish writer Tobias Smollett, in Travels through France and Italy, in chapter 26, mentions one of his stays in "Sestri di Levante".
Active since 1875, and among the oldest of its kind, the Philharmonic
Society of Sestri Levante took part in various musical competitions in
the early years of the twentieth century, placing itself at the top
positions in Rapallo (1905), Turin (1911), again in Rapallo (1924 ) and
in Rome in 1935. Between the 1970s and 1995, the Sestrese complex,
uniting with the Chiavari association of the same name, assumed the name
of Philharmonic Society of Chiavari and Sestri Levante.
Still in
the musical field, the video clips of the songs Tu es foutu (tu m'as
promis) by In-Grid, Mégu megún by Fabrizio De André (played by Claudio
Bisio) and La nostra storia by Luca Carboni were shot in Sestri Levante.
Sestri Levante is also the title of a song by Roberto Vecchioni and
Piero Parodi, of an instrumental piece by the Australian group Tame
Impala and of the last track of the album Canzoni contro la natura by
the Tuscans The Zen Circus. Certain women of Sestri, on the other hand,
is the title of a piece by Bruno Lauzi. Also in Sestri Levante, in the
sea in front of the Baia delle Favole, the video clip of the song Leaves
in the wind by the Genoese group Ex-Otago was shot.
In the first half of May, Sestri Levante hosts the "Johann Sebastian
Bach" national piano competition which sees young pianists from all over
Italy compete.
At the end of May, the Andersen Prize is held, a
literary competition dedicated to children's and young people's
literature. Every year there are many books and stories from all over
the world, in 2009 for the first time even from Japan. The Andersen
Festival is the setting for the Andersen Prize.
Palio marinaro del
Tigullio: Santa Margherita Ligure, San Michele di Pagana, Rapallo,
Zoagli, Chiavari, Lavagna and Sestri Levante challenge each other every
year, between May and August, in a series of rowing competitions on
traditional Ligurian goiters in the waters of the Gulf of Tigullio.
"Barcarolata", on the last Sunday of July: a parade of boats decorated
in the most varied and imaginative ways, with cash prizes for the boats
judged to be the most beautiful. It is a kind of "carnival on the water"
in the scenario of the Bay of Silence, with a concluding fireworks
display. It was born in the 1920s and consolidated after the war with
Giovanni Magnelli.
"Sagra del Bagnun", the penultimate weekend of
July: fair of various goods, free distribution of the typical local
seafood dish of the same name and fireworks display on the beach of Riva
Ponente.
The current municipal territory consists of the town area and
twenty-seven hamlets: Azaro, Balicca Ponterotto, Fossa Lupara, Libiola,
Loto, Montedomenico, Pila, Riva Trigoso, Rovereto, San Quillico, San
Bartolomeo della Ginestra, San Bernardo delle Cascine, Tassani, Vignolo,
Villa Arpe, Villa Campomoneto, Villa Carmelo, Villa Costa, Villa
Costarossa, Villa Fontane, Villa Manierta, Villa Rocca, Villa Rocche,
Villa San Bernardino, Villa Scorza, Villa Staffora and Villa Zarello,
for a total of 33, 62 km2.
It borders the municipality of Ne to
the north, it is bordered by the Ligurian Sea to the south, it borders
the municipality of Lavagna to the west and the municipalities of
Casarza Ligure and Moneglia to the east.
Thanks to the natural beauty of the place, Sestri Levante has a
significant contribution from tourism, both Italian and foreign. The
seaside sector is prestigious, thanks to the two beaches present or to
the cliffs typical of many Ligurian localities.
In the past there
was a strong presence of industry. The shipyards in the hamlet of Riva
Trigoso arose in the last years of the 19th century, soon becoming among
the most important in Italy. After the Second World War, thanks to its
proximity to the industrial triangle (Genoa-Turin-Milan), Sestri Levante
housed, in addition to the shipbuilding industry (and its related
industries), one of the largest steelworks, the F.I.T. (Fabbrica
Italiana Tubi), closed in 1982 during the crisis in the sector and whose
area has been recovered for commercial, residential and tourist use,
sectors where today most of the investments in the area are directed.
A tradition of the past was the construction of leudi, wooden lateen
sail boats, of which today there is still a valuable example, renovated
and positioned for exhibition purposes, on the beach of "Balin", in the
Baia delle Favole.
Fincantieri continued the activity of the
important shipyard at the local Riva plant, constructing many military
vessels used by the Italian Navy. A first period of crisis that exploded
in 1992 caused a downsizing of the work force of the shipyard, with
recourse to layoffs for many workers and employees; the shipyard resumed
activity thanks to new commissions, especially from abroad. In 2004, one
of the two sections of the first Italian aircraft carrier, the Cavour,
was launched at Riva Trigoso, the launch being the last with the ship
entering the sea directly. Further economic crises that have also
affected the nautical sector have exploded since 2008.
Fishing, a
historically fundamental element in the local economy, in particular
that of anchovies (the so-called anchovy step, from which the sagra del
bagnun derives), has had a greatly reduced role in recent decades. In
2016, an exceptional step was taken in this regard. The anchovies in
salt from the Ligurian Sea have the recognition of the PGI brand.
Streets
The center of Sestri Levante is mainly crossed by the
state road 1 Via Aurelia which allows the connection with Lavagna and
Chiavari to the west and Moneglia to the east. It can also be reached
thanks to its own tollbooth on the A12 motorway.
Further road
connections in the area are the provincial road 44 of Santa Vittoria di
Libiola to reach the homonymous district of Sestre and, continuing, the
locality of Cardini in the municipality of Casarza Ligure, the latter
already reachable from the state road 523 of Colle di Cento Croci; the
provincial road 88 of Montedomenico also allows the road connection with
the Ne territory and the Graveglia valley.
Railways
Sestri
Levante station is located on the Genoa-Pisa line and is served by
regional and long-distance connections. In the municipal area there is
also the Riva Trigoso station which serves the homonymous hamlets of
Riva and Trigoso and is served only by regional trains.
Urban
mobility
From Sestri Levante, the local public transport services
managed by the AMT guarantee daily connections, via urban and intercity
buses, with the main hamlets and localities of the municipal area, of
the Tigullio district (Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Chiavari,
Lavagna), of the Petronio valley (Casarza Ligure, Castiglione
Chiavarese, Moneglia), of the Vara valley and of the province of La
Spezia (Carro, Deiva Marina, Framura, Varese Ligure). The terminus of
the road services attested in Sestri Levante is located in front of the
railway station.
Soccer
U.S. Sestri Levante 1919, a player in the Serie D national
championship;
A.S.D. Rivasamba H.C.A. 1994, militant in the regional
championship of Excellence;
S.C.D. Sporting Club Aurora 1975, playing
in the First Category championship;
A.F.C. Segesta 1988, militant in
the First Category championship.
Cycling
Sestri Levante has
been the stage finish point of the Giro d'Italia five times:
1960
10th stage Carrara-Sestri Levante, won by Gastone Nencini;
1962 2nd
stage Salsomaggiore Terme-Sestri Levante, won by Graziano Battistini;
2006 12th stage Livorno-Sestri Levante, won by Joan Horrach;
2012
12th stage Seravezza-Sestri Levante, won by Lars Bak;
2015 3rd stage
Rapallo-Sestri Levante, won by Michael Matthews.
Basketball
Centro Basket Sestri Levante 1976, which plays in the regional Serie C
championship.
Sport facilities
Sports facilities include the
"Giuseppe Sivori" stadium, the "Hans Christian Andersen" sports field,
the "Simone Canepa" municipal gymnasium and the municipal swimming pool.