Favale di Malvaro
Discovering Favale di Malvaro
Hello friends, today I will take you to discover Favale di Malvaro, a small municipality in the metropolitan city of Genoa in Liguria, with a population of around 427 inhabitants.
Physical geography
The territory of Favale di Malvaro is located in the valley of the Malvaro stream, a side valley of the Fontanabuona valley, located at the foot of Mount Pagliaro (1180 m). Here the Castello and Arena streams meet to form the Malvaro stream, east of Genoa. Among the peaks of the territory, we find Mount Caucaso (1250 m), Mount Pagliaro (1180 m), Bric della Scavizzola (1125 m), Mount Roncazi (1085 m), Bric dell'Arietta (1067 m), Poggio Grosso (1054 m) and Mount Rondanara (1048 m).
History
Favale di Malvaro has a very ancient and interesting history. The primitive settlement was born thanks to the confluence of roads coming from the upper Trebbia valley and the upper Aveto valley, through the passes of Arena, Pozzarelli and Volta. Over the centuries, there has been a development of trade and military defense activity in this area of the Malvaro valley and the Fontanabuona valley.
Like many villages in the area, Favale di Malvaro was subjected from the 11th to the 12th century to the Fieschi family, counts of Lavagna, until its transfer in 1229 to the territories of the podestà of Rapallo and, from 1608, in the subsequent Rapallo captaincy, part of the Republic of Genoa.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the village was the scene of struggles between internal factions for dominance over the territory, called the "greens" and the "turquoise" because of the color of their distinctive badges.
With the French domination of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797, Favale di Malvaro was included from December 2 in the department of the Gulf of Tigullio, with Rapallo as its capital, within the Ligurian Republic. From April 28, 1798 with the new French ordinances, Favale was included in the VI canton, with Lorsica as its capital, in the jurisdiction of Tigullio and from 1803 the main center of the III canton of the Apennines in the jurisdiction of Entella; it is in this historical context that it is mentioned by the ancient name of San Vincenzo and still, in 1804, as the municipality of San Vincenzo del Favale. Annexed to the First French Empire, from June 13, 1805 to 1814 it was included in the department of the Apennines.
In 1815, Favale di Malvaro was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sardinia, following the decisions of the Congress of Vienna of 1814, which placed the municipality of Favale in the province of Chiavari under the division of Genoa. From 1859 to 1926, the territory was included in the VI district of Cicagna in the district of Chiavari of then province of Genoa, in the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946). In 1863, the municipality took on its current name of Favale di Malvaro.
In the first half of the nineteenth century, a group of people converted to Waldensianism through the work of the Cereghino (Scialin in the local dialect) family, a family of native dialectal singers from Favale. The conversion arose following a disagreement between the family and the Catholic Church, and soon gained many followers among the villagers. Shortly afterwards, in 1849, the Waldensian evangelical church was founded, the only one in the area, which survived with regular religious worship until 1919.
Places to see
Now that we know the history of Favale di Malvaro, let's see what we can visit.
The historic center of the village is very characteristic, with its narrow streets full of flowers and typical stone buildings. Among the places of interest, we find the parish church of San Biagio, dating back to the seventeenth century, where it is possible to admire several sacred paintings and sculptures.
For nature lovers, there are numerous trails to explore and scenic spots from which to enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Among the best-known trails is the one that leads to the top of Mount Pagliaro, which offers a spectacular view of the Malvaro and Fontanabuona valleys.
Events and cuisine
Favale di Malvaro hosts several events throughout the year. Among the most important are the feast of San Biagio, the patron saint of the village, which is celebrated on February 3, and the polenta festival, which takes place in July. In this event, it is possible to taste polenta accompanied by local specialties such as stewed wild boar and chickpea flour pancakes.
Conclusions
Here is my guide to discovering the beautiful village of Favale di Malvaro. One of the hidden treasures of our Liguria, with its fascinating history, unspoiled nature, and delicious cuisine. I recommend visiting and discovering everything that this splendid village has to offer.
