Noli

Noli, lig. Noei, is an Italian town with 2776 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) in the Liguria region and is located on the Gulf of Genoa.

Location and data

Noli is located about 17 km south of Savona. The neighboring municipalities are Finale Ligure, Spotorno and Vezzi cervix.

Noli belongs to the Comunità Montana Pollupice and is twinned with the German town of Langenargen. Noli is a natural harbor. Directly on the beach of the bay is quickly achieved a significant water depth. A fact that Noli helped very early economic importance in the long-distance trade, but also for raids from the sea made ​​them vulnerable.

From the land side of Noli is accessible only by a narrow valley.

The district Varigotti, which today has mainly tourist importance, separated by a cliff of Noli.

History

The name Noli goes back to the Byzantine period, when the place was called Neapolis. In the year 768 Noli was overrun by the Lombards, who first destroyed the city, then built up as the administrative headquarters again. Since 800 Noli was repeatedly attacked by Islamic Saracens, who were advancing from Sardinia from Liguria and Piedmont depopulated and up into the territory of present-day Switzerland. Today indicate place names in Noli (eg Baia / Spiaggia dei Saraceni, the Sarazenenstrand or the Borgo dei Saraceni in Varigotti ) clearly on the cruel conquest of the Muslims towards that went on until the 15th century.

From the time of the first conquest and religious wars of the Islamic Saracens also the oldest parts are the fortress of the city, one of the cultural monuments. In the 11th century, also find the name Naboli.

The city took in the aftermath of the First Crusade Sarazenenüberfälle in 1097 in part and received numerous privileges. Noli was a naval power, which was the smallest of the five Maritime Republics of Italy since 1193. 1239 Noli became a bishop. Through a close alliance with Genoa Noli could maintain its independence until 1797. Was not until the conquest of Italy by Napoleon, the city lost as well as the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice independence.

Attractions

Noli now has a very well-preserved medieval town center. From the medieval fortifications three gates / towers have survived. In addition to the city gates there are also some remarkable residential towers that define the image of the town center.

Also significant is the church of S. Paragorio that as long as Noli was a bishopric, even had the status of a cathedral. The church was built in the 11th century and later remodeled in the Renaissance style.