Porto-Vecchio
Encyclopedia
Porto-Vecchio is a commune
in the Corse-du-Sud
department of France
on the island of Corsica
.
It is the seat of the canton of Porto-Vecchio, which it shares with Sari-Solenzara
, Conca
and Lecci
. Port-Vecchio is a medium-sized port city placed on a good harbor, the southernmost of the marshy and alluvial east side of Corsica. The inhabitants are called Porto-Vecchiais in French, and Portivechjacciu in Corsican.
, which holds a section of the coast around the Gulf of Pinarellu. Porto-Vecchio has two communes to the north, Sari-Solenzara
and Conca
, and two to the south, Porto-Vecchio and Lecci
.
The commune of Porto-Vecchio is 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) east of Sartène
. The north shore of the gulf has many resorts, such as Poretta, Fiori Marina, and others of the commune of Lecci
. The east coast, a shore with cliffs, is less habitable; beyond Chiappa Point (a naturist site) the coast goes southwest to the border of Bonifacio commune.
Off the southeast shore are the four îles Cerbicale (seldom shown on the map but visible from satellite photographs), protected by a nature reserve of 36 hectares (89 acre), which are part of the larger reserve of Bouches de Bonifacio ("Straits of Bonifacio"; see under Bonifacio). From north to south are: Forana; Maestro Maria, the smallest; Piana, the largest, which ascends to 36 metres (118.1 ft) and Pietrocaggiosa a little more distant.
Hills to the northwest are included in the national park; the village of Ospedale there probably takes its name and origin from a large ancient hospital of the Roman era. It never lost that function but continues as a health center employing about 150 people. Nearby is a reservoir, the Lac de l'Ospedale, created with a dam at the foot of punta di Corbu in the forest of Ospedale. These hills culminate at the 1314 metres (4,311 ft) "peak of the dead cow" (punta di a Vacca Morta).
. Between them and the coast extends a plain drained by the Stabacciu, which flows into the end of the Gulf of Porto through salt marshes, where Cork Oak
and Eucalyptus
grow. These marshes were a barrier between the Roman settlements along the Via Corsicana of the eastern plain and the Roman ports of the south. Some marshland was filled to make the modern city and commercial salt pan
s were constructed on other parts (from which the commercialized slogan "city of salt"); the rest remains. Crossed by Highway N198 south, it is no longer a barrier.
Sud Corse Airport, which is 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) away. It has a public high school and two community colleges, a private hospital of 107 beds, a medical school, a cork industry and extensive tourist facilities. The port includes moorings for 450 small craft, commercial facilities and a ferry station. The population expands to 50,000 in the summer, predominantly Italian. The beaches are well-populated, especially Palombaggia Beach 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the south-east. In 1983 it acquired a Film Institute, which organizes an annual film festival.
, it features circular or semi-circular (abutting) citadels of stone.
In the direction of Figari
, the hamlet of Ceccia also has prehistoric remains, and not far away is another Torréen site, Castellu di Tappa
. Castellu d'Araghju is at 45 metres (147.6 ft), just above the village of Araggio. It has a circuit wall 2 metres (7 ft) thick and 4 metres (13 ft) high.
West of the commune is the prehistoric site of Tivulaghju
.
; however, the anchorage for a port is excellent. The name means "Old Port", which may refer to the Roman port that left traces in the vicinity. Subsequently the region was more or less abandoned because of the malarial marshes but became part of a large Christian parish. The city was refounded in 1539 by the Bank of Saint George at Genoa
on a 70 metres (229.7 ft) hill overlooking the gulf. They already had a presence in Bastia
.
The Genoese were careful to preserve the Roman port within the walls, which are trapezoidal and enclose the main square, place de la République, near the church, Église St.-Jean Baptiste. The Genoese intended a colonia, or replacement of the population, but malaria soon assassinated most of the Genoese settlers. Another colony in 1546 suffered the same fate and subsequently the colony became a conurbation instead.
Sempiero Corso occupied the city for a few months in 1564.
Some of the population began to return with the drainage projects instituted under the Second Empire
but they were minimally successful. World War II
brought the presence of allies who were determined to eradicate malaria for the health of all concerned, but especially the soldiers and airmen. Through drainage, filling and spraying they succeeded, making the region newly attractive because less pestilential. The current population derives from an expansion that started about 1950.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Corse-du-Sud
Corse-du-Sud
Corse-du-Sud is a French département composed of the southern part of the island of Corsica.- History :The department was formed on 15 September 1975, when the Corse department was divided into Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud...
department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on the island of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
It is the seat of the canton of Porto-Vecchio, which it shares with Sari-Solenzara
Sari-Solenzara
Sari-Solenzara is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
, Conca
Conca, Corse-du-Sud
Conca is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
and Lecci
Lecci
Lecci is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
. Port-Vecchio is a medium-sized port city placed on a good harbor, the southernmost of the marshy and alluvial east side of Corsica. The inhabitants are called Porto-Vecchiais in French, and Portivechjacciu in Corsican.
Geography
The canton of Porto-Vecchio has a population of about 12,900 living in four communes making up a total of 34787 hectares (85,960.5 acre). It is divided in two by the commune of ZonzaZonza
Zonza is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Geography:Zonza is located in the mountain chain of Barocagio-Marghese which extends to the south of the Incudine massif...
, which holds a section of the coast around the Gulf of Pinarellu. Porto-Vecchio has two communes to the north, Sari-Solenzara
Sari-Solenzara
Sari-Solenzara is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
and Conca
Conca, Corse-du-Sud
Conca is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
, and two to the south, Porto-Vecchio and Lecci
Lecci
Lecci is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
.
The commune of Porto-Vecchio is 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) east of Sartène
Sartène
Sartène , is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.Its history dates back to medieval times and granite buildings from the early 16th century still line some of the streets. One of the main incidents in the town's history was an attack by pirates from Algiers...
. The north shore of the gulf has many resorts, such as Poretta, Fiori Marina, and others of the commune of Lecci
Lecci
Lecci is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
. The east coast, a shore with cliffs, is less habitable; beyond Chiappa Point (a naturist site) the coast goes southwest to the border of Bonifacio commune.
Off the southeast shore are the four îles Cerbicale (seldom shown on the map but visible from satellite photographs), protected by a nature reserve of 36 hectares (89 acre), which are part of the larger reserve of Bouches de Bonifacio ("Straits of Bonifacio"; see under Bonifacio). From north to south are: Forana; Maestro Maria, the smallest; Piana, the largest, which ascends to 36 metres (118.1 ft) and Pietrocaggiosa a little more distant.
Hills to the northwest are included in the national park; the village of Ospedale there probably takes its name and origin from a large ancient hospital of the Roman era. It never lost that function but continues as a health center employing about 150 people. Nearby is a reservoir, the Lac de l'Ospedale, created with a dam at the foot of punta di Corbu in the forest of Ospedale. These hills culminate at the 1314 metres (4,311 ft) "peak of the dead cow" (punta di a Vacca Morta).
Ecology
The heights of Ospedale (or Spedale in earlier literature) are noted for their forest of Corsican PineEuropean Black Pine
Pinus nigra, the European Black Pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the Crimea, in Asia Minor and on Cyprus, and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa....
. Between them and the coast extends a plain drained by the Stabacciu, which flows into the end of the Gulf of Porto through salt marshes, where Cork Oak
Cork Oak
Quercus suber, commonly called the Cork Oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.It grows to up to 20 m,...
and Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
grow. These marshes were a barrier between the Roman settlements along the Via Corsicana of the eastern plain and the Roman ports of the south. Some marshland was filled to make the modern city and commercial salt pan
Salt evaporation pond
Salt evaporation ponds, also called salterns or salt pans, are shallow artificial ponds designed to produce salts from sea water or other brines. The seawater or brine is fed into large ponds and water is drawn out through natural evaporation which allows the salt to be subsequently harvested...
s were constructed on other parts (from which the commercialized slogan "city of salt"); the rest remains. Crossed by Highway N198 south, it is no longer a barrier.
Population
Facilities
Porto-Vecchio is easily accessed through FigariFigari
Figari is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Geography:The village of Figari is to the southeast of Sartène, to the southwest of Porto-Vecchio and to the north of Bonifacio. The commune comes from an ancient parish. It includes the center of a large...
Sud Corse Airport, which is 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) away. It has a public high school and two community colleges, a private hospital of 107 beds, a medical school, a cork industry and extensive tourist facilities. The port includes moorings for 450 small craft, commercial facilities and a ferry station. The population expands to 50,000 in the summer, predominantly Italian. The beaches are well-populated, especially Palombaggia Beach 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the south-east. In 1983 it acquired a Film Institute, which organizes an annual film festival.
Politics
List of recent mayors:- Since March 2004 Georges Mela
- 1997–2004 Camille de Rocca Serra (UMPUnion for a Popular MovementThe Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
) - –1997 Jean-Paul de Rocca Serra (RPRRally for the RepublicThe Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
)
Prehistory
To the north of the commune is to be found the prehistoric site of Torré, which has given its name to the Torréen Culture. Dated to the Corsican Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, it features circular or semi-circular (abutting) citadels of stone.
In the direction of Figari
Figari
Figari is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.-Geography:The village of Figari is to the southeast of Sartène, to the southwest of Porto-Vecchio and to the north of Bonifacio. The commune comes from an ancient parish. It includes the center of a large...
, the hamlet of Ceccia also has prehistoric remains, and not far away is another Torréen site, Castellu di Tappa
Casteddu di Tappa
Casteddu di Tappa is an Bronze Age archaeological site of the Torréen Culture, in Corsica. It is located in the commune of Porto-Vecchio.-Reference:* Le gisement torréen fortifié de Tappa, Porto-Vecchio , Roger Grosjean, at...
. Castellu d'Araghju is at 45 metres (147.6 ft), just above the village of Araggio. It has a circuit wall 2 metres (7 ft) thick and 4 metres (13 ft) high.
West of the commune is the prehistoric site of Tivulaghju
Tivulaghju
Tivulaghju is an archaeological site in Corsica. It is located in the commune of Porto-Vecchio. The site was first excavated in 1960, and has since been used to prove prehistoric links between Corsica and Sardinia.-References:*...
.
History
Porto-Vecchio is placed in a region that in earlier times was marshy and suffered greatly from malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
; however, the anchorage for a port is excellent. The name means "Old Port", which may refer to the Roman port that left traces in the vicinity. Subsequently the region was more or less abandoned because of the malarial marshes but became part of a large Christian parish. The city was refounded in 1539 by the Bank of Saint George at Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
on a 70 metres (229.7 ft) hill overlooking the gulf. They already had a presence in Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
.
The Genoese were careful to preserve the Roman port within the walls, which are trapezoidal and enclose the main square, place de la République, near the church, Église St.-Jean Baptiste. The Genoese intended a colonia, or replacement of the population, but malaria soon assassinated most of the Genoese settlers. Another colony in 1546 suffered the same fate and subsequently the colony became a conurbation instead.
Sempiero Corso occupied the city for a few months in 1564.
Some of the population began to return with the drainage projects instituted under the Second Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
but they were minimally successful. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
brought the presence of allies who were determined to eradicate malaria for the health of all concerned, but especially the soldiers and airmen. Through drainage, filling and spraying they succeeded, making the region newly attractive because less pestilential. The current population derives from an expansion that started about 1950.
External links
- La Cuve – Accommodation in Porto Vecchio
- Corsica Villa – A private Holiday villa in Porto-Vecchio