Corsica, Bastia
79 images Created 24 Oct 2012
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.