Savona

Savona is a seaport and a municipality situated in the North-West part of the Peninsula, in the confluence of the torrents Letimbro e Lavanestro.

Savona is one of the chief seats of the Italian iron industry, having iron-works and foundries, shipbuilding, railway workshops, engineering shops, brass foundry.

The name “ Savona” has uncertain origins: there are different stories, for example Livio quoted the term “Sauone” defining it as a “oppinum”( an ancient city without a holy borders) in the territories of Alpine Liguri; it could be derives from the indo-European language ( seu- “wet”) or also derives from a Celtic legend ( the Celtic Goddess Sounna). In 180 B.C it was under the Roman influence, after the Punic war in which it was allied with Carthage. With the fall of Western Roman Empire in 476 B.C, it was ruled by Lombard in 641, after the possession of the Ostrogoth and Byzantines. In 11th Century Savona acquired independence and fought against Genoa before being conquered in 1528 and it was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia - Piedmont in the 1815.

Savona is the hometown of Christopher Columbus who lived in the Savona hills. The main sights of Savona are: Cathedral of Assunta, situated in the Priamar hill; the Sistine Chapel; Della Rovere Palace, the Priamar Fortresses, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy (Nostra Signora della Misericordia) and the Church of Our Lady of the Castle ( Nostra Signora di Castello).