L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019 L'Italo-Americano THOMAS VESCE S i t u a t e d b e t w e e n France to the north and the Ligurian Sea to the south, Imperia i s a m o u n t a i n o u s and hilly province that is part of the Ligurian region. It shares its name with the coastal capital city that was created in 1923. Because of its proximity with France, its coastline has often been referred to being part of the "Riviera." The first major city on the French-Italian border is Ven- timiglia, easily reached by fly- ing into Nice, a 45 minute train ride away, or by arriving from Genoa somewhat further away by a beautiful car or train ride of a b o u t a n h o u r o r s o . T h e Romans latinized its original name of Albium Intimilium, the capital of the ancient Ligurian Intemelii tribe finally conquered in 115 B.C., to Vintimilia. The Romans also constructed the Via Aurelia, the main coastline road, as well as an open theater and walls around the city whose name has been conflated with t h e I t a l i a n " t w e n t y m i l e s " because of its being exactly twenty miles from the French border. But the city has witnessed a long struggle for its possession. After the Romans it was rav- a g e d b y G o t h s , B y z a n t i n e s , Lombards, and in the 10th cen- t u r y b y S a r a c e n s . F i n a l l y becoming an independent com- mune, its podestà Luca Grimal- di was captured in 1271 and the city passed under the rule of the houses of Savoy and Naples. In 1 5 0 5 i t b e c a m e p a r t o f t h e Genoese Republic until the early 19th century when Napoleon annexed the area, naming it as the French "Ligurian Republic." After his fall from power, the province reverted back to the House of Savoy and then to the Italian Kingdom. But today, different people invade the city when, on Thurs- days, Ventimiglia becomes an open street market for crowds that arrive by bus from all over n o r t h e r n I t a l y a n d s o u t h e r n France, who search through all s o r t s o f i t e m s f r o m f o o d t o clothing and other wares, that c a n b e f o u n d a t p r i c e s w a y lower than the cost of buying t h e m i n t h e t r a v e l e r s ' h o m e towns. This is particularly true for the delicious olive oil that is pressed in the city's frantoio near the entrance to the autostra- da. This highway can bring visi- tors either West to the famous tropical and subtropical Hanbury G a r d e n s o v e r l o o k i n g t h e Mediterranean, or to the first good-sized French city of Men- ton. Going East, one quickly arrives at the charming coast town of Bordighera which was the favorite haunt of royals like Queen Margherita and personal- ities like Claude Monet. After d i n i n g a t o n e o f t h e m a n y exquisite seaside restaurants to b e f o u n d i n t h e s e w o n d e r f u l sites, the more ambitious visi- tors can continue, by short car or bus excursions, to several of the area's surrounding towns. O n e o f t h e s e i s B u s s a n a . This town goes back to the 9th century and throughout its histo- ry has been scourged by disas- ters; first by medieval Saracen raiders and then in 1887 by a horrendous earthquake. The ruins of its watch towers and devastated buildings comprise what is known today as Bussana Vecchia. While the Italian gov- ernment has continuously for- bidden anyone to live there (as r e c e n t l y a s l a s t M a r c h ) , t h e Ghost Town has nevertheless survived thanks to the Sicilian painter Vanni Giuffrè who, in 1960 together with other artists a n d h i p p i e s f r o m a l l o v e r Europe, established an interna- tional arts community there. Ventimiglia, panoramic view of the old town © Claudio Giovanni Colombo | Dreamstime.com LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Some fascinating border towns in Imperia province Saint Giles Church in Bussana Vecchia Liguria, Italy, abandoned and reno- vated village of artists © Alessandro Cristiano | Dreamstime.com Bordighera © Ziche77 | Dreamstime.com Continued to page 10

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