The Ligurian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea . It lies between the Italian Riviera ( Liguria ) and the island of Corsica . The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient Ligures people.
64-743: Livorno ( Italian: [liˈvorno] ) is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno , having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronounced / l ɛ ˈ ɡ ɔːr n / leg- ORN , / ˈ l ɛ ɡ h ɔːr n / LEG -horn or / ˈ l ɛ ɡ ər n / LEG -ərn ). During
128-601: A vernacolo . Il Vernacoliere , a satirical comic-style magazine printed chiefly in the Livornese dialect, was founded in 1982 and is now nationally distributed. The bagitto was a Judæo-Italian regional dialect once used by the Jewish community in Livorno . It was a language based on Italian, developed with words coming from Tuscan, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and Yiddish ; the presence of Portuguese and Spanish words
192-478: A new fortress. The new fortress was named Fortezza Nuova or New Fort. A canal system was built to connect the two forts. The builders of the canals were either Venetian or residents of Livorno. In modern times, boats of the Italian Coast Guard and customs police use a marina located in the main canal between the two forts. Prior to building a paved bridge to the castle from the mainland, the fort
256-540: A 1983 study, since 1977 a series of experimental analyses on sea-level variations at Genoa and Imperia highlighted "the existence of a seiche wave with a mean period of 5.8 hours", whose reasons weren't yet explained at that time. The Ligurian Sea was modeled as a rectangular semi-closed basin with a longitudinal length of 40 km (25 mi) and a transversal one of 10 km (6.2 mi), in an average constant depth of 2,000 m (6,600 ft; 1,100 fathoms). The International Hydrographic Organization defines
320-630: A collection of liturgical objects coming from the old Synagogue destroyed in World War II. The commerce practised by the Jews community increased the property of the synagogue allowing a varied religious heritage of Dutch, Florentine, Venetian, Roman and Northern African origin. The display regard the Torah ark , the sefer Torah , paintings, religious objects as the Oriental-style wooden hekhal ;
384-481: A hot-summer mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ). Summers have warm days with the heat lingering on throughout the night, hence going above the subtropical threshold in spite of its relatively high latitude. Winters are mild for the latitude due to the moderating influence from the Mediterranean Sea . Precipitation is in a wet winter/dry summer pattern as with all climates fitting
448-453: A mercantile district, close to Porto Mediceo , provided with houses and depots to store the merchandise and a system of canals to facilitate their transport. The new rione (district), called Venezia Nuova [ it ] , was built in an area gained to the sea, intersected by canals and linked to the town with bridges, for this reason, Venetians skilled workers were recruited. The Chiesa di Sant'Anna , dedicated to Saint Anne ,
512-491: A multiethnic and multicultural Livorno lasted until the second half of the nineteenth century, when it was surpassed by other cities. Evidence of that prosperous time can be seen in the many churches, villas, and palaces of the city. Livorno is considered to be the most modern among all the Tuscan cities, and is the third most-populous of the region, after Florence and Prato . The origins of Livorno are controversial, although
576-486: A new fortress was built, together with the town walls and the system of navigable canals through neighbourhoods. After the port of Pisa had silted up in the 13th century, its distance from the sea increased and it lost its dominance in trade. Livorno took over as the main port in Tuscany . By 1745 Livorno's population had risen to 32,534 persons. The more successful of the European powers re-established trading houses in
640-488: A plan by Studio Gregotti and works carried out by Opera Laboratori Fiorentini, was opened definitely on 31 July 2010. On the ground floor, the exhibition includes: Diacinto Cestoni Room which consists of 12 exhibition tanks, Mediterranean Area, Indus-Pacific tank, Caribbean Sea, Ligurian coast, Tropical waters, Greek-Roman archaeological coastal area. Livorno Aquarium has 33 exhibition tanks containing 2000 animals of 300 different species. Dedicated to painter Giovanni Fattori ,
704-473: A rather insignificant coastal fortress. By 1551, the population had grown to 1562 residents. Seat of the crusading and corsairing Order of Saint Stephen after 1561, distinctive for its aggressive approach towards the Muslim world, Livorno became a major Mediterranean slave trade hub in the early modern period, rivalling Malta's. Its share of slave population may have been over a 25% of the population. During
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#1732764690400768-406: A well-regulated market and were in force until 1603. Also expanding Christian tolerance, the laws offered the right of public freedom of religion and amnesty to people having to gain penance from clergy in order to conduct civil business. The Grand Duke attracted numerous Turks, Persians, Moors, Greeks, and Armenians, along with Jewish immigrants. Sephardic Jews began to immigrate to Livorno in
832-466: Is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo . Ferdinando II de' Medici considered, in 1629, the opportunity to enlarge the town, on project by Giovanni Battista Santi, toward north in an area included among Fortezza Vecchia and Fortezza Nuova , in order to give an adequate space to the maritime and commercial activities. There was the need to build
896-598: Is a castle in Livorno , Italy. The Old Fortress is a successor building to a medieval fort built by the city of Pisa in the location of an older keep built by Countess Matilda of Tuscany in the 11th century. The 11th century tower was incorporated inside the fort built by the Pisans. The castle has been described as a "symbol of Medicean Livorno". The fort is located at the Medicean Darsena , or old dock of
960-462: Is a reference to the type of ship, the liburna , adopted by Roman navy from the Liburnians . Other ancient toponyms include Salviano (Salvius) and Antignano (Ante ignem), which was the place situated before Ardenza (Ardentia), where beacons directed the ships to Porto Pisano . Cicero mentioned Liburna in a letter to his brother, in which he called it Labrone . Livorna is mentioned for
1024-533: Is dedicated to San Francesco . The old castle also contains the ruins of an ancient Roman castrum . The old fortress has three bastions and two main gates. The bastion closest to the land is called Ampolletta, the bastion nearest to the port is the Canaviglia and the third bastion, the Capitana, is at the northeastern side of the fort. On 24 April 1589, Christine of Lorraine arrived in Livorno from
1088-623: Is due to the origin of the first Jews who came to Livorno, having been expelled from the Iberian peninsula in the late 15th century. The city and its port have continued as an important destination for travelers and tourists attracted to its historic buildings and setting. The port processes thousands of cruise-ship passengers of the following cruise line : many of whom take arranged buses to inland destinations as Florence , Pisa and Siena . Since 1866 Livorno has been noted for its Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando . Azimut - Benetti acquired
1152-548: Is played by the financial service, concentrated above all in via Cairoli, called the small city of Livorno, in which the headquarters of banks, financial institutions and insurance companies are concentrated, as well as the Post Office Building. Tuaca liqueur was produced in Livorno until 2010; the famous distillery was closed and operations were brought to the United States by the new owners. Galliano
1216-490: Is still made here and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Livorno Aquarium, dedicated to Diacinto Cestoni , is the main in Tuscany. It is situated by Terrazza Mascagni on the seafront promenade. It was built on a project by Enrico Salvais and Luigi Pastore as a heliotherapy centre and was opened to the public on 20 June 1937. Destroyed during World War II was rebuilt in 1950; in 1999 underwent extensive reconstruction, on
1280-611: The Scuole elementari Benci all the last on project by Angiolo Badaloni. In the early 19th century, the American Elizabeth Ann Seton converted from Protestantism to Catholicism while visiting Italian friends in Livorno. She later was canonized as the first American-born saint. During the 1930s, numerous villas were built on the avenue along the sea in Liberty style based on designs by Cioni. These added to
1344-683: The Battle of Meloria in 1284. In 1399, Pisa sold Livorna to the Visconti of Milan ; in 1405 it was sold to the Republic of Genoa ; and on 28 August 1421 it was bought by the Republic of Florence . The name 'Leghorn' was derived from the Genoese name Ligorna. Livorno was used certainly in the eighteenth century by Florentines. Between 1427 and 1429, a census counted 118 families in Livorno, including 423 persons. Monks, Jews, military personnel, and
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#17327646904001408-672: The Church of the Santissima Trinità, Livorno [ it ] , the second non-Catholic church in Tuscany. The Armenians had earlier built their own Orthodox church. The community founded a Greek school, awarding scholarships for higher studies to young Greeks from the Peloponnese , Epirus, Chios or Smyrna . The community raised funds to support the Greek War of Independence of 1821, as well as various Greek communities in
1472-637: The Italian Renaissance , when the settlement was ruled by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany of the House of Medici , Livorno was designed as an " Ideal town ". In 1577 the architect Bernardo Buontalenti drew up the first plan. The new fortified town had a pentagonal design, for which it is called Pentagono del Buontalenti , incorporating the original settlement. The Porto Mediceo was overlooked and defended by towers and fortresses leading to
1536-681: The Levant , until the late 19th century Livorno enjoyed a strong strategic position related to Greek mercantile interests in the Black Sea , the Mediterranean Sea , and the North Atlantic. The conflicts between Great Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, with associated port embargoes, piracy, and confiscation of cargoes, played out to the advantage of those Greek merchants willing to accept risk. By
1600-550: The Ottoman Empire . Chians controlled much of the trade. In 1839 Livorno had ten major commercial houses, led primarily by ethnic Greeks and Jewish Italians. The ethnic Greek community ( nazione ) had a distinctive cultural and social identity based on their common Greek Orthodox religion , language and history. In 1775 they established the Confraternity of Holy Trinity ( Confraternita della SS. Trinità ) and
1664-470: The Renaissance , Livorno was designed as an " ideal town ". Developing considerably from the second half of the 16th century by the will of the House of Medici , Livorno was an important free port . Its intense commercial activity was largely dominated by foreign traders. Also the seat of consulates and shipping companies, it became the main port-city of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany . The high status of
1728-547: The Tyrrhenian Sea , while in the west it borders the Mediterranean Sea proper. Genoa is the most prominent city in the area. The northwest coast is noted for its scenic beauty and favourable climate. The Gulf of Genoa is its northernmost part. The ports of Genoa and La Spezia are on its rocky coast. It reaches a maximum depth of more than 2,800 m (9,300 ft) northwest of Corsica. According to
1792-619: The Whitehead Moto Fides Stabilimenti Meccanici Riuniti on 31 July 1945 manufacturing 1000 A244 light torpedo sold to 15 Navies. The Whiteheads Moto Fides continued the production of torpedoes in a new plant which opened in 1977 and still operating, then entered in the Fiat Group in 1979 and in 1995 passed definitely to Finmeccanica . It is now owned by Leonardo S.p.A. , as the latter has been renamed since 2018. Another important role
1856-585: The town centre . In the late 1580s, Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany , declared Livorno a free port ( porto franco ), which meant that the goods traded here were duty-free within the area of the town's control. In 1593, the Duke's administration established the Leggi Livornine to regulate trade. These laws protected merchant activities from crime and racketeering , and instituted laws regarding international trade . The laws established
1920-558: The 1820s, Greek entrepreneurs gradually replaced the Protestant British, Dutch, French and other merchants who left the city. The Greeks concentrated on the grain market, banking and ship-brokering. Cargoes of wheat from the Black Sea were received at Livorno, before being re-shipped to England. Returning ships carried textiles and other industrial goods, which Greek merchants shipped to Alexandria and other destinations in
1984-570: The Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando, then of Fincantieri , in 2003. The Eni plant produces gasoline , diesel fuel , fuel oil and lubricants . Livorno refinery was established in 1936 by Azienda Nazionale Idrogenazione Combustibili (ANIC) but the plant was completely destroyed during World War II. The plant was rebuilt thanks to an agreement between the ANIC and the Standard Oil forming
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2048-952: The Coast of Italy. On the North The Ligurian Coast of Italy. The Ligurian Sea is attraversed by the Modified Atlantic Water (MAW) on its surface and by the Levantine Intermediate Water in depth. It is also brushed by the two main currents which surround the Corsica island: the Western Corsica Current and the Tyrrenian current that reaches the Corsica Channel . In order to provide protection for
2112-657: The Grand Duke. On 19 March 1606, Ferdinando I de' Medici elevated Livorno to the rank of city; the ceremony was held in the Fortezza Vecchia Chapel of Francis of Assisi . The Counter-Reformation increased tensions among Christians; dissidents to the Papacy were targeted by various Catholic absolute rulers. Livorno's tolerance declined during the European wars of religion . But, in the preceding period,
2176-491: The Illuminator . The project was by Giovanni Battista Foggini and the church was completed a few years later but did not open for worship until 1714. The church had a Latin cross plant and a dome at the intersection of the transept and nave. Destroyed during World War II, it was partly restored in 2008 but is not open to worship. The first Greeks who settled in Livorno early in the 16th century were former mercenaries in
2240-711: The Mediterranean definition. Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany issued in 1591 a decree encouraging Armenians to settle in Livorno to increase its trade with the Ottoman Empire and western Asia. By the beginning of the 17th century, Armenians operated 120 shops in town. In 1701 the Armenian community, who were members of the Armenian Apostolic Church , were authorized to build their own church, which they dedicated to Gregory
2304-514: The Ottoman Empire and in Italy. It also assisted non-Greeks. The Rodocanachi family financed the "School of Mutual Education" established in Livorno by the pedagogist Enrico Mayer [ it ] . The community contributed to founding a school for poor Catholic children. The local governing authorities recognized the contributions of distinguished members of the Greek community (e.g. members of
2368-595: The Papoudoff, Maurogordatos , Rodocanachi, Tossizza [ el ] and other families) and granted them titles of nobility. After unification and the founding of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, the Greek community in Livorno declined, as the privileges of the free port were rescinded. See the history of the Jews in Livorno . Livorno inhabitants speak a variant of the Italian Tuscan dialect , known as
2432-624: The STANIC. The production of the new plant raised from 700,000 to 2 million tons in 1955; nowadays the capacity of refining is 84,000 barrels per day. The refinery, now property of Eni , is linked to the Darsena petroli (Oil dock) and to Firenze depots by two pipelines. The former Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) plant, based in Livorno produced heavy and light torpedoes , anti-torpedo countermeasure systems for submarines and ships and sonar systems for underwater surveillance. The factory
2496-562: The Younger is also reported by another source as the builder. The fortress contains the remains of the older fort built by Pisa and the 11th century tower constructed by Matilda. Matilda's tower, known in Italian as Mastio di Matilde , or Mastio della Contessa Matilde , has been restored. The castle built by the Pisans in 1377 is called Quadratura dei Pisani and is believed to have been built by Puccio di Landuccio. The fortress church
2560-495: The architectural richness of the city. Livorno suffered extensive damage during World War II . Many historic sites and buildings were destroyed by bombs of the Allies preceding their invasion of Italy, including the cathedral and Synagogue of Livorno . Since the late 20th century, Livorno's residents have become well known for their left-wing politics . The Italian Communist Party was founded in Livorno in 1921. Livorno has
2624-738: The centuries, the city's trade fortunes fell and rose according to the success or failure of the Great Powers. The British and their Protestant allies were important to its trade. During the Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars of the late eighteenth century, Napoleon's troops occupied Livorno along with the rest of Tuscany. Under the Continental System , the French prohibited trade with Britain, and
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2688-577: The economy of Livorno suffered greatly. The French had altogether taken over Tuscany by 1808, incorporating it into the Napoleonic empire. After the Congress of Vienna , Austrian rule replaced the French. In 1861, Italy succeeded in its wars of unification . At that time the city counted 96,471 inhabitants. Livorno and Tuscany became part of the new Kingdom of Italy and, as part of the Kingdom,
2752-454: The first time in 1017 as a small coastal village, the port and the remains of a Roman tower under the rule of Lucca . In 1077, a tower was built by Matilda of Tuscany . The Republic of Pisa owned Livorna from 1103 and built a quadrangular fort called Quadratura dei Pisani ("Quarter of the Pisans") to defend the port. Porto Pisano was destroyed after the crushing defeat of the Pisan fleet in
2816-458: The fleet of Cosimo de' Medici and their descendants. This community grew and became significant in the 18th and 19th centuries when Livorno became one of the principal hubs of the Mediterranean trade. Most of the new Greek immigrants came from western Greece, Chios , Epirus and Cappadocia . Based on its status since the late 16th century as a free port ( port franc ) and the warehouses constructed for long-term storage of goods and grains from
2880-488: The gallery which hosted a collection of paintings of authors by Livorno. The Yeshivà Marini Museum is housed in a neoclassical building already place of worship as Marini Oratory since 1867; once was home of the Confraternity Malbish Arumin which was provided to help the city's poor. In the post-war period was utilized as a synagogue in the waiting for the construction of the new one. The museum has
2944-620: The homeless were not included in the census. The only remainder of medieval Livorno is a fragment of two towers and a wall, located inside the Fortezza Vecchia . After the arrival of the Medici , the ruling dynasty of Florence, some modifications were made in the city. Between 1518 and 1534 the Fortezza Vecchia was constructed, and the voluntary resettlement of the population to Livorno was stimulated. Livorno still remained
3008-661: The late sixteenth century, following the Alhambra Decree and expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal. Livorno extended rights and privileges to them, and they contributed greatly to the mercantile wealth and scholarship in the city. Livorno became an enlightened European city and one of the most important ports of the entire Mediterranean Basin . Many European foreigners moved to Livorno. These included Christian Protestant reformers who supported such leaders as Martin Luther , John Calvin , and others. French , Dutch , and English arrived, along with Orthodox Greeks . Meanwhile, Jews continued to trade under their previous treaties with
3072-532: The limits of the Ligurian Sea as follows: On the Southwest. A line joining Cape Corse (Cape Grosso, 9°23′E) the Northern point of Corsica to the frontier between France and Italy (7°31′E). On the Southeast. A line joining Cape Corse with Tinetto Island ( 44°01′N 9°51′E / 44.017°N 9.850°E / 44.017; 9.850 ) and thence through Tino and Palmaria Islands to San Pietro Point ( 44°03′N 9°50′E / 44.050°N 9.833°E / 44.050; 9.833 ) on
3136-407: The merchants of Livorno had developed a series of trading networks with Protestant Europe, and the Dutch, British, and Germans worked to retain these. In 1653 a naval battle, the Battle of Leghorn , was fought near Livorno during the First Anglo-Dutch War . At the end of the 17th century, Livorno underwent a period of great urban planning and expansion. Near the defensive pile of the Old Fortress,
3200-442: The museum is a Planetarium and an Auditorium. The Museo Mascagnano houses memorabilia, documents and operas by the great composer Pietro Mascagni , who lived here. Every year some of his operas are traditionally played during the lyric music season, which is organized by the Goldoni Theatre. Also the Terrazza Mascagni is situated on the boulevard on the seafront, is named in his honour. The Orto Botanico del Mediterraneo
3264-412: The museum mainly featuring contemporary art from the 19th-century was inaugurated in 1994 and is placed inside Villa Mimbelli , an 18th-century construction surrounded by a vast park. The origin of the museum dates back to 1877 when the Comune of Livorno founded a Civic Gallery where to collect all the artistic objects kept in several places around the town; in the same period was written the guideline of
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#17327646904003328-574: The numerous cetacean ( whales and dolphins ; porpoises are not found in this part of the Mediterranean Sea) species in the Ligurian Sea the bordering countries established the sea as a SPAMI in 1999. The International Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary now covers 84,000 km (32,000 sq mi) covering territorial waters as well as high sea . 43°30′N 9°00′E / 43.500°N 9.000°E / 43.500; 9.000 Old Fortress, Livorno The Old Fortress of Livorno ( Italian : Fortezza Vecchia di Livorno )
3392-422: The oldest and most important pieces went lost. The origins of the museum date back to 1929 and part of the objects went destroyed by World War II. After the war, the museum was reopened inside the Livorno Aquarium and only in 1980 was transferred to Villa Henderson. The museum is divided in several halls regarding the Man, the Man in the Mediterranean context, the Invertebrates, the Sea, the Flight in Nature. Inside
3456-437: The place was inhabited since the Neolithic Age. This is documented by the worked bones, and pieces of copper and ceramic found on the Livorno Hills in a cave between Ardenza and Montenero. The Etruscan settlement was called Labro. The construction of the Via Aurelia coincided with the occupation of the region by the Romans . They are also known for their toponyms and the ruins of towers. The natural cove called Liburna
3520-400: The port of Livorno, built by the Medici family. The ceremony proclaiming Livorno a city took place inside the fortress on 19 March 1606. The plans to build the castle started in 1519, and the structure was completed under the rule of Alessandro de' Medici in 1534. According to one source, the castle was built between 1521 and 1534 by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder . Antonio da Sangallo
3584-417: The region, especially the British with the Levant Company . In turn, the trading networks grew, and with those, Britain's cultural contact with Tuscany. An increasing number of British writers, artists, philosophers, and travellers visited the area and developed the unique historical ties between the two communities. The British referred to the city in English as "Leghorn", derived from the Genoese term. Through
3648-444: The sea as part of the celebrations of her wedding to Ferdinand I of Tuscany and came ashore landing at Fortezza Vecchia through the use of a drawbridge . On 19 March 1606 Ferdinando I proclaimed Livorno a "city" in a ceremony which took place inside the fortress. The population of the city at the time was 3,000 inhabitants. Decades after the construction of the old fort, Livorno's fortifications were further enhanced by building
3712-537: The town lost its status as a free port. The city's commercial importance declined. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Livorno had numerous public parks housing important museums such as the Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori , Museo di storia naturale del Mediterraneo , and cultural institutions as the Biblioteca Labronica F.D. Guerrazzi and others in Neoclassical style as Cisternone , Teatro Goldoni and Liberty style as Palazzo Corallo , Mercato delle Vettovaglie , Stabilimento termale Acque della Salute ,
3776-413: Was built in 1631 on the ground of the Arch confraternity of the Company of the Nativity; in the same year Giovanni Battista Santi died and the control of the project passed to Giovanni Francesco Cantagallina though the works slowed down due to the lack of funds. Ligurian Sea The sea borders Italy as far as its border with France , and the French island of Corsica . In the east, the sea borders
3840-403: Was founded by Robert Whitehead in 1875 in Fiume , in that period Austria-Hungary , and produced for the first time torpedoes sold all around the world. In 1905 the factory changed its name to Torpedo Fabrik Whitehead & Co. Gesellschaft and before his death, Whitehead sold his shares package to Vickers Armstrong Whitworth . At the end of World War I the factory was in economic crisis and
3904-444: Was purchased by Giuseppe Orlando, one of the owners of the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando of Livorno, as Whitehead Torpedo, in 1924 when was signed the Treaty of Rome and Fiume passed to Italy. Whitehead Torpedo established in Livorno the Società Moto Fides that initially produced motorcycles but changed the production to that of torpedoes. With the end of World War II the Fiume factory closed and merged with Moto Fides forming
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#17327646904003968-407: Was subsequently repaired following the conflict. On 2 April 1662, an experiment designed to test Galileo 's principle of the independence of motions, during projectile motion , was conducted at the old fortress. The experiment was carried out by members of the Accademia del Cimento . The experimental setup included two cannonballs , one used as a projectile from a cannon while the other
4032-464: Was surrounded by the sea and was accessible via a pontoon bridge . The old fortress is the more significant of the two castles, while Fortezza Nuova has been described as the "larger and more interesting" of the two forts. In the 19th century the fort became a prison which during the Risorgimento also kept Italian political prisoners including Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi and others. The old fortress sustained extensive damage in World War II but
4096-448: Was vertically suspended. The cannon was placed on Mastio di Matilde , the tower of the old fortress, To effect the simultaneous initiation of motion for the two cannonballs, one cannonball was fastened to a rope hanging through the muzzle opening of the cannon. When the cannon fired, the projected cannonball broke the suspension rope of the other, and the two cannonballs commenced their motion simultaneously. Due to experimental errors,
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