Points of Interest
From the West to the East
2,000m of difference in height and 60 square meters of National Park scattered throughout three valleys
The area of torrent Nervia, with the Municipalities of Rocchetta Nervina and Pigna accessible from the area of Ventimiglia - Bordighera, is the nearest to the sea and covers about 20 km among flower cultivations, olive groves, and vineyards giving way in the north to a characteristic mountain landscape dominated by chestnut tree, conifer, and beech tree woodlands.
Real naturalistic jewels of this area are the rupestrian habitats of Mt. Toraggio (1,971m asl) and Mt. Pietravecchia (2,038m asl), as well as the Trans-border Nature Reserve (recently established) of Testa d'Alpe (1,517m asl).
Upper Valle Argentina, with the Municipality of Triora in the area of Arma di Taggia, has a different morphology with higher differences in height, wild naturalistic panoramas, and settlements rising along ridges or rocky spurs.
Here the landscape immediately shows thick woodlands rich in waters and game; the small country hamlets of Realdo and Verdeggia enable the connection with the areas of Mt. Gerbonte (1,727m asl), rich in natural cavities and karst gullies, and of Saccarello (2,200m asl), with its rhododendron moorlands and the large pastures scattered with ancient shelters.
The innermost area is Upper Valle Arroscia, with the Municipalities of Rezzo, Montegrosso Pian Latte, Mendatica, and Cosio d'Arroscia, in the proximity of Imperia (provincial administrative center). It is the area with the greatest mountain vocation, since it is dominated by large pastures and woodlands: this territory includes Piancavallo Summit (1,896m asl), with its herds of chamois, Mt. Frontè (2,153m asl), Mt. Monega (1,882m asl), and the charming Rezzo Woodland, the largest beech tree woodland in Liguria.
Park's history and art
The Ligurian Alps' territory (and Park too) still keeps the traces of history and ancient legends, where man had an important role for centuries: shaping nature with his work and efforts, according to his needs.
The landscape originates from all this, that is the combination between the natural elements and the anthropic ones: a peculiarity of the Ligurian Alps Park is to cover a still strongly anthropic area, where modern man lives everyday together with the heritage of his ancestors.
A testimony of this are the prehistorical finds from Rezzo and Realdo and the old fort in Cima Marta, the architecture of the stone bridges and of the dry stone walls, of the votive aediculae and of the medieval or baroque churches, of the small villages among the farmyards and of the narrow streets, of the roofs and of the stone architraves that still withstand the bad weather.
The Park's municipalities can be proud of the significant local artistic traditions that centuries ago, on this territory, frescoed churches, chapels and sanctuaries, sculpted many gates and erected stone monuments: the testimonies of the stone-cutters from Cènova (14th - 15th century - it is worth visiting the museum which has been recently opened near the municipality of Rezzo) are still visible all over the Giara Valley, but also in Mendatica and Montegrosso Pian Latte. The frescoes by Pietro Guido da Ranzo (15th to 16th centuries) decorate the walls of the Sanctuary of Rezzo, of the Church of Santa Margherita a Mendatica and of other sacred buildings of the Ponente Ligure. The artworks by Giovanni Canavesio (15th century) show themselves in the Church of San Bernardino di Triora and in the majestic polyptych of the parish church of Pigna, which also keeps a white marble rose window by Giovanni Gaggini da Bissone (15th century).
