San Lorenzo al Mare
San Lorenzo al Mare: a small coastal hamlet on the Riviera di Ponente
Hi everyone! Today I will tell you about a small treasure of Liguria: San Lorenzo al Mare, also known as San Loenso in the Ligurian language. This municipality, with only 1206 inhabitants, is located in the province of Imperia and represents the smallest municipality in the province and the entire region. Despite its small size, San Lorenzo al Mare has one of the highest population densities in the region.
Physical Geography
San Lorenzo al Mare is a coastal hamlet of the Riviera di Ponente that extends for just over one square kilometer. The current settlement is located along the San Lorenzo stream and is divided into two distinct urban centers: a coastal and a hilly one. From above, the city takes the form of an anchor and overlooks the Ligurian Sea.
History
The history of San Lorenzo al Mare is very interesting and dates back to the 12th century. In this period, the feudal territories of the Ligurian Ponente area underwent significant changes. The local lords, the Lengueglia, ceded the feudal territory of Pietrabruna to Porto Maurizio and the lords of the latter decided to build a new urban center on the left bank of the San Lorenzo river. Thus, two distinct villages were born: the first on the right bank remained the property of the Lengueglia and the Order of St. Benedict of the monastic principality of Villaregia of Santo Stefano al Mare, dependent on the Church of Santo Stefano (Genoa); the second became the property of the lords of Porto Maurizio.
Over the centuries, the two villages suffered many incursions and attacks by the Saracens, but in 1749 they were unified into a single religious community following the Austrian occupation of Liguria. With the fall of the Genoese republic at the end of 1797, the two villages were merged into a single municipality.
From the Kingdom of Sardinia to the current name
San Lorenzo al Mare was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815, after the Congress of Vienna in 1814. In 1862, it was given its current name of San Lorenzo al Mare. In 1872, the hamlet was reached by the Genoa-Ventimiglia railway, which allowed for a faster connection with the other coastal villages of the Riviera dei Fiori.
Conclusions
San Lorenzo al Mare is a very characteristic coastal hamlet, which despite its small size, boasts a very interesting history and unique architecture. I hope this brief excursion into the history of San Lorenzo al Mare has made you want to visit this small gem of Liguria!
