The very picturesque medieval village of Dolceacqua, which is located in the Nervia valley, is made up of two districts separated by the Nervia river: Terra and Borgo.
The oldest district – Terra – is dominated by the Doria castle, a feudal building that became a grand residence during the Renaissance period. Partially destroyed in 1744 and weakened in 1887 by an earthquake, all that remains of the castle today are impressive ruins which proudly dominate the hill.
When the expansion of the Terra district became complicated, the inhabitants of the village raised the houses up to 6 floors, then settled, in front of an expansion quickly becoming impossible, on the opposite bank of the river, the Borgo.
The two districts were linked by an impressive single-arch humpback bridge with a span of 33 meters. Claude Monet painted this “a jewel of lightness” in 1884.
The Church of San Antonio Abate, with its traditional Ligurian forecourt made of pebble mosaic, is a Baroque marvel dating from the 17th century, whose rich interior stuccowork leaves one speechless.
July 22, 2022
