Bastia, at the base of the Cap Corse between the sea and the mountain, is the principal port of the island and the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio. With the occupation of Corsica the Genovese felt the need for a harbour connecting the island with Genoa and in 1378 began to construct, a "bastiglia", a stronghold. Bastia, the Corsica's largest business town, has preserved a typically Mediterranean appearance with the picturesque streets of the old town, Terra-Vecchia, and Terra-Nova, the citadel, where the Genoese Governors had their palace, Palais des Gouverneurs, which now houses a museum. Bastia was the capital of Corsica until 1791 and during the 16th and 17th centuries the high town followed the traditions of Genoese towns, straight streets in a grid pattern. Many religious brotherhoods were set up and an intense cultural life developed. Today the city is the gateway to the island from France and Italy. A baroque town of culture, but also a dynamic coastal resort a centre for gastronomy and wine.