Diano Marina A Maina de Dian | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Diano Marina | |
 Diano Marina | |
.svg) Map of the municipality (comune) of Diano Marina (province of Imperia, region Liguria, Italy) | |
Location of Diano Marina  | |
  Diano Marina Location of Diano Marina in Italy Show map of Italy Diano Marina Diano Marina (Liguria) Show map of Liguria | |
| Coordinates:43°55′N8°5′E / 43.917°N 8.083°E /43.917; 8.083 | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Liguria |
| Province | Province of Imperia (IM) |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Frazioni | Diano Calderina, Diano Gorleri, Diano Serreta, Muratori |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Giacomo Chiappori (Lega Nord) |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.67 km2 (2.58 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Population (30 June 2017)[2] | |
• Total | 5,915 |
| • Density | 890/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Dianesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 18013 |
| Dialing code | 0183 |
| ISTAT code | 008027 |
| Patron saint | Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
| Saint day | 16 July |
| Website | comune |
Diano Marina (Ligurian:A Maina de Dian, or simplyDian[3]) is acomune (municipality) in theProvince of Imperia in the Italian region ofLiguria, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southwest ofGenoa and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northeast ofImperia.
The municipality of Diano Marina contains thefrazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Diano Calderina, Diano Serreta, Diano Gorleri, Diano Arentino, and borgata Muratori.It borders the following municipalities:Diano Castello,Diano San Pietro,Imperia, andSan Bartolomeo al Mare.
Diano Marina is one of the few municipalities along the Ligurian coast with long sandy beaches. The beach season is from 15 May until 15 September. Outside of this season, most of the beaches are accessible to the public.It is also known for its streets lined with orange trees, and is referred to as the "Citta degli aranci" (City of the orange trees).
The origin of Diano Marina dates back to theUpper Paleolithic era and theIron Age. Various discoveries have been made in the area, such ascinerary urns belonging to a necropolis, thus supporting the theory of a probable prehistoric origin of the village. The first permanent settlement, inhabited by Ingauni Ligurian, dates back to the Bronze Age.[4]
Around 200 BC, the Roman Empire, engaged in the conquest of the Ligurian region, built a small village on the site, called Lucus Bormani, originally dedicated to the god Bormo or Bormano. According to some historians, the current name of Diano derives from the Romans who wanted to convert the local population to the cult ofDiana, goddess of the hunt, weeding out the prehistoric god Bomano previously revered; this hypothesis has been disputed by other historians, however. Of the ancient Roman presence, some buildings still remain, discovered during excavations adjacent to the sports field.
According to some sources, basic Christian education was provided around the 1st century by the saintsNazarius and Celsus, to whom the Dianese population later dedicated a small church near the sports field. Between the 9th and 10th centuries, the settlement suffered invasions bySaracen pirates, along with other coastal towns.[4]
The village experienced a boost to its economy whenBenedictine monks fromPiedmont introduced the cultivation of olive trees in the 11th century, which consequently led to the production of olive oil.[4] During the same century, the Dianese territory became a feudal dominion of the Marquises of Clavesana until 1177, when a free and autonomous municipality was formed. In 1199, the Communitas Diani was established, merging several settlements of the Diano valley, and in 1228 it became an integral part of theRepublic of Genoa.
By the 16th century, the community was made up of about sixty families and it eventually became the main commercial base for olive oil in the whole western Ligurian Riviera; the Dianese harbor, due to its natural shape, was a strategic point for the goods that reached the main European ports by sea. This lucrative trade had to contend with increasingly frequent pirate raids, forcing the Genoese senate to erect fortifications and watchtowers along the territory, with the substantial help of the local population.[4]
After the fall of the Republic of Genoa in 1797, the new municipality of Diano Marina rejoined theLigurian Republic. Annexed to theFirst French Empire from 1805 to 1814, it became part of theDepartment of Montenotte.
In 1815, the territory was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sardinia, as established by theCongress of Vienna in 1814, and subsequently added to theKingdom of Italy in 1861. In 1871, the hamlet of Paradisi was detached fromDiano Castello and aggregated to the municipality of Diano Marina.[5]
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami of 23 February 1887 caused considerable structural damage to houses and monuments, and the loss of several lives;[4] the Piedmontese engineer Giacomo Pisani is responsible for the design of the new town plan following the disaster. The construction of theGenoa–Ventimiglia railway and the consequent opening of a local station in 1872 has attracted tourists to Diano Marina, especially in the 1950s and 1960s.[4]
In 1923, the municipalities ofCervo,San Bartolomeo al Mare,Diano Arentino, Diano Borello, Diano Calderina,Diano Castello,Diano San Pietro, andVilla Faraldi were added to Diano Marina;[6] in 1925, the communities of Cervo, Diano Arentino, Diano Castello, and Diano San Pietro were reconstituted as separate municipalities.[7]
The main industry in the Diano area are tourism-related activities, especially in the summer. The region attracts tourists from all over Europe due to its mild climate. Agricultural activity is also relevant: in the immediate hinterland of Diano, there are numerous greenhouses cultivating basil, tomatoes, and flowers. The olive-growing sector is also very important, and the region is known for producingTaggiasca olive oil.
Diano Marina istwinned with:
Diano d'Alba, Italy (2007)
Granadilla de Abona, Spain (2013)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
