Bastia, an enchanting city in north-east of Corsica, the small French island off the Mediterranean, invites tourists to enjoy its mild climate and sunny. Many cathedrals and chapels recall his Italian heritage and keep the memory of a distant religious transformation. By tasting the baccalà a traditional dish of cod with the best wines, the visitor will certainly appreciate the rich cultural and gastronomic of the city.
The origins of the city
The village of Cardo extends from the reliefs of the plain Pigno up along the coast where fishermen and sailors were busy once. Originally, it housed the residences of wealthy and developed over the centuries to become the latest Bastia today. In the fourteenth century, this part of Corsica was chosen by Prince Leonello Lomellini for its geographical position relative to Genoa, a city located on the west coast of Italy. The name of the city from Bastiglia, the fortress built by the people immigrated. At that time, the mountainous sites with direct access to the sea were very popular because they allow people to secure and exercise at the same time the business concentrated particularly on the maritime trade. The fortresses built on the heights were used as monitoring station and shelter against the attacks of enemies from the sea churches then began to be built and can still be visited today, that of St. Mary and the Chapel of St. Croix, which houses the Christ of Miracles. The port is growing rapidly with new structures without losing its charm. The city was taken by the French in the eighteenth century and the village which culminated in the hills stretched to cover the entire plain has taken place now called Saint-Nicolas.
Historic monuments of Bastia
Churches and former convents turned into museums constitute the majority of historical monuments that can be discovered in Bastia. The Oratory of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, the work of Italian architects of the sixteenth century, is covered with a white marble and has a large portal in Baroque. The Church of St. Charles Borromeo is a religious building wall completely bleached dating from the seventeenth century and houses a richly decorated altar. We find paintings and wooden statues dating from the 1600s and 1700s in the Saint Etienne de Cardo and an imposing Italian organ built in the Neo-Gothic to the throne at the central platform. The convent of San Angelo received successively poor, illegitimate children and the military before being transformed into a cluster of associations in the field of culture. The fortress became a tourist gathering the objects preserved in the different stages of the history of this city. It can discover and costumes, furniture and miscellaneous documents dating back to Neolithic times. The garden of Governors is definitely the place to be missed during this visit because it has very beautiful floral collections and give a wonderful view over the village below and the coastline. A grand parade brings thousands of people each year in celebration of the feast of St. Joseph. The devotees carry the statue of the latter during a procession and the famous panzarotti share this occasion.
A stroll through the streets
Larger industrial units are established in this part of the island. The movements of passengers and goods are the first port of Bastia in the French region. But to really know Bastia, it must be a look that is about to admiration on the small details of everyday life for its inhabitants. This is an opportunity to leave amazed by the beauty of this quiet city. Besides the churches and monuments that evoke its origins, the people and culture convey a message that only a tourist can take notice. The Mediterranean-style houses with shuttered windows keep the secret mysteries of the Mediterranean people, and are separated by straight streets, while housing the 39,000 townsfolk identified so far. At the heart of the city, on the Place Saint-Nicolas, stands a statue of King Napoleon, surrounded by trees that provide a sweet freshness to the walkers. This place is ideal for exploring the townsfolk around a coffee or through the craft items sold in shops nearby.
