Diano Castello, like a flower from the rubble

What it is and where it is

We leave the Diano Marina waterfront heading toward Diano Castello, on a low hill in the Dianese Valley overlooking the plain where the San Pietro stream flows. We have come to appreciate and know the structure of the medieval villages of western Liguria, but this one has a peculiarity that we notice immediately, as soon as we arrive in the village. Among the plastered houses dating back to the early twentieth century that make up most of the present village, we notice the remains of the surrounding walls, pre-existing buildings, and, fortunately, some architectural assets dating back even a thousand years.

Why it is special

The mixture of the new urban layout, which came into being between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the remaining artistic-architectural heritage from previous centuries, which survived the February 23, 1887 earthquake, is something extraordinary. Thus, within a modern-looking hamlet, ancient gems such as stone arches, portions of walls of buildings of medieval origin, the remains of a castle and city walls, and much more pop up in every corner. In short, a surprise that is renewed at every turn.