Already an important
coastal center, La Spezia owed its development to the construction of
the Naval Arsenal (1860-1865), which was the idea of Cavour and
constructed according to a plan by Domenico Chiodo.
The Public Gardens, which were created in the
early nineteenth century on the crest of the Napoleonic dream and, it
was said at the time, in competition with those in Tokyo, are the true
feather in the city'sof La Spezia cap. Originally known as the 'Boschetto',
these enchanting gardens reflect the multifarious charms of nature throughout
the seasons. The bandstand inside the gardens is a veritable jewel of
Art Nouveau style.
Facing Palazzo Doria on the Via Chiodo is the
lush garden park with its rare decorative plants. Standing among the flower-beds
are statues of La Spezia's illustrious citizens. The gardens lead onto
the Promenade, which offers a spectacular view across the Gulf of La Spezia
that is crowned by the sight of the Apuan Alps and the hills sweeping
gracefully down to the sea. The glimpse of tugs and fishing boats rocking
on the waves gives you an idea of the various activities that are carried
out in the Gulf of La Spezia. The city is widely appreciated for its extremely
mild climate and its ideal position in the Bay of Poets.
Today, you can make a special request to visit
the Naval Arsenal, which has been very successfully opened to the public.
Besides the exhibits of industrial archaeology, you can see sectors that
are in the vanguard of the shipping industry. The hillsides that surround
the city of La Spezia are a marvelous place to go for a stroll. Well worth
a visit are the ancient villages of Biassa and Campiglia, true oases of
tranquility and natural charm. You can also visit the ancient parish church
at Marinasco, which underwent restoration in the eighteenth century.
There is no shortage
of accommodation in La Spezia. One particularly relaxing outing is the
trip around the Gulf and the islands (bus and boat services leave from
the Morin promenade). You will find a visit to the Amedeo Lia Civic
Museum, which has a singularly fascinating history, very interesting. It
was established by virtue of a generous gift to the municipality of La
Spezia of a sumptuous private art collection that is now housed in the
old monastery of the brotherhood of San Francesco da Paola. Castle
Museum. The "Ubaldo Formentini" archaeological collections.
This
comprises the Civic Archaeology Collections, the extraordinary stele
statues, a vast collection of objects dating from Luni during the Roman
era and originally belonging to the Fabbricotti family, mosaics and
epigraphic exhibits. "Giovanni Podenzana" Museum of Ethnography. This
offers a rich collection of exhibits testifying to popular traditions
and the rural ways of life that were disappearing with the rise of
industrialisation. Palazzina delle Arti and the Seal Museum.
The
collection of official seals was donated to the municipality of La
Spezia by the Capellini family and is the largest collection of its kind
in the world. The building also houses a special art and archaeology
library with workshops and spaces set aside for temporary exhibitions.
Diocesan Museum. This will be opened in the ancient oratory of San
Bernardo and will contain permanent collections of exhibits from
diocesan life.
The Museum of Naval Technology of La Spezia is
situated in the Naval Arsenal. It is one of the most prestigious in the
world, offering an important collection of figureheads, glorious exhibits
from naval history and models showing the evolution of shipping. National
Transport Museum. This was originally created as a trolley-bus museum
but trains were later added. The Museum has a specialized library of documents
and objects relating to the history of transport and also a large collection
of photographs.
Tourists and other visitors can admire the city's harmonious Art Nouveau
architecture, which became popular in La Spezia in the wake of the
Art-Industry movement in the early twentieth century. Houses, gardens,
theatres and urban decoration all saw the influence of the new art,
which gave a new appearance to the city. Yet it is a new city that has
not forgotten its ancient traditions and annual events that
enthusiastically evoke festivals and rites of yore that still live on in
the collective consciousness.
March 19 is the festival of San Giuseppe, patron
saint of the city of La Spezia. The Fair that bears his name is a popular
festival that brings the city to life with six hundred stalls running
around the gardens and along the promenade. Another appointment not to
be missed is the "Palio del Golfo", a historic regatta that
is followed with great enthusiasm all along the Gulf of La Spezia on the
first Sunday in August. The Palio is preceded by the different hamlets'
costume parade that is based on a different theme every year. In the evening,
the bay is illuminated by a traditional firework display.
