IMPERIA: Imperia was actually created in 1923 with the joining together of Porto Maurizio and Oneglia, two towns often with contrasting histories; Porto Maurizio allied with Genoa since 1200, whilst Oneglia was the seaport for the House of Savoy.
At the beginning of the 1900s it was proposed that the tow should be brought together to give life to a new town and Imperia came into being, taking its name from the river that runs between the two. The two districts, whilst united in an administrative sense, remain separate unities with differing characteristics.
Porto Maurizio, sited on a rocky promontory, is home to the old part of the town whose origins go back in fact to the year 1000 and even today much of its medieval fabric is still intact with the imposing Duomo dominating a maze of narrow alleys.
Of particular interest is the convent of Santa Chiara, founded by the Order of Poor Clare in 1365 which has a remarkable loggia. Oneglia developed around the mouth of the river. Its allegiance to the House of Savoy brought it a lot of economic growth and to this day it is still a major centre for the production of olive oil. The museum bears witness to this history with displays relating the cultivation of the olive trees and the production of the oil.
Of much interest to visitors is also the church of San Giovanni Battista, an excellent example of baroque architecture.
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Update to February 2012.
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