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| Country | Italy | |
| Region | Liguria | |
| Population | 92230 | |
| High | 3 m | |
Species is a city in a region Liguria en Italy.
Understand
Species (Italian La Spezia elp. La Specja), (in Liguria Spesa, elp. spezza), is an Italian municipality, capital of the province of the same name, the easternmost of Liguria, a few kilometers from the regional border with Tuscany.
The city is located in the center of the Gulf of La Spezia, also known as Gulf of the Poets. The gulf is surrounded by a chain of hills, the highest peaks of which, Mount Verrugoli (749 m) and Mount Parodi (673 m), are located west of the city.
The territory of the municipality is mostly in the interregional basin of the river Magra, except for a small part, the village Sunsets and the adjoining hill, which is part of the Cinque Terre National Park.
History
The region of Spezia has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the many finds in the highlands of the gulf and in the adjacent valleys. Later, in historical times, the territory saw the settlement of the Ligurian populations, subjugated in 155 BC. of the consul Marco Claudius Marcello.
At that time, the most important center in the whole region was Luni.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, after the fifth century there was destruction by the Goths, and with the end of the Gothic War the territory of Luni and the Gulf region came under Byzantine rule.
In 642 the Longobards of King Rotari conquered Liguria but in 773, the region passed under the Frankish reign of Charlemagne.
In 860 the region was sacked by the Vikings and, in the same century, it began to suffer the attacks of the Saracen pirates, and, a century later, their incessant looting and destruction led to the final decay of Luni.
In the 9th century, the main center of the Gulf region was Vesigna, which stood on the Marinasco hill.
At the beginning of the twelfth century Genoa bought the village of Porto Venere and, a few years later, also Lerici, thus increasing its influence on the eastern Ligurian coast. At that time Spezia had already reached a certain importance and is in fact mentioned in some commercial documents of 1160.
Between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the city had a fairly continuous development and thus began to establish itself as the main center of the Gulf.
With the fall of Napoleon and the Restoration, Liguria was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia and La Spezia became the capital of the Levant Province.
The shores of the Gulf began to be a target for educated travelers, artists, painters, musicians and poets, captivated by the mild climate and the beauty of the landscape.
With a royal decree of 1849, the Piedmontese government decided to build a Military Maritime Arsenal in La Spezia and in 1857 Cavour, then Prime Minister and Minister of the Navy, took care of finding the necessary funds and entrusted Domenico Chiodo, an officer of the War Engineers, with the care of the construction of the new naval base. This brought about profound and radical changes in the city, which however also retained a strong tourist character throughout the 19th century and was chosen several times as a holiday destination for the Italian royal family.
In 1864 the railway link with Pisa was opened, and in 1874 work on the line to Genoa was completed.
The Arsenal, which was built between 1862 and 1869, attracted strong immigration and the city of Spezia, which in 1861 (at the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy) had 5,964 inhabitants], grew to about 37,000 people in 1884.
Between 1873 and 1879 a dam was built to shelter and defend the gulf. Later it was decided to build the commercial port (whose works began in 1891) and a railway line connecting with Parma (the Pontremolese, which was completed in 1892).
In 1901 the Spezia had about 73,000 inhabitants. The new century was manifested by a constructive push in forms of freedom and by the growth of cultural and social initiatives. In 1923 the city, which became the capital of the province of the same name, expanded.
During World War II, due to its industrial and military importance, the city suffered many airstrikes by Allied forces, especially in 1943, when these attacks caused significant damage to the military Arsenal, industrial structures and various urban buildings.
After the constitution of the Italian Social Republic, June Valerio Borghese rebuilt the departments of the 10th MAS Fleet, not only as a naval unit but with ground departments engaged in round operations of local partisans. The Resistance is developing both in the surrounding territories, but also in the city: in the days after September 8, the military committee of the CLN is formed, with Renato Jacopini (representative of the PCI), the liberal Rodolfo Ghironi, the shareholder Mario Da Pozzo, the Christian Democrat Isio Matazzoni, the Socialist Mario Fontana. In addition to the management team, in the following months, Patriotic Action Groups (GAPs) and Patriotic Action Teams (SAPs) are structured to operate in the city, with information, sabotage and logistical actions.
La Spezia is among the cities ordained for Military Bravery during the War of Liberation, having received the Silver Medal for Military Bravery for the sacrifices of its population and for its performance in the partisan struggle during World War II. On the night of April 23, 1945, the local partisan formations defeated the last Nazi-fascist defense and took over the nerve centers of the city, declaring it free.
At the end of World War II, in 1946, on three ships - the Faith of Savona (renamed Dov Oz), the motor ship Fenice (renamed Eljahu Golomb) and the Exodus - 1914 Jewish Holocaust survivors sailed from the city port to Palestine . This is why La Spezia is known in Israel and on Israeli maps as "Schàar Zion" (Gate of Zion). Also in connection with Operation Exit and the "Gate of Zion", in 2006 President Ciampi awarded the city the Gold Medal for civilian merit.
The post-war reconstruction led to a considerable building renovation of the city often disrespectful to its identity acquired in previous centuries. The military base of La Spezia gradually lost importance compared to that of Taranto, more central in the Mediterranean theater and the military orders and related activities thus became less important for the economy of the city. After the demographic decline that began in the 1970s due to the economic crisis and emigration, in the 1980s and 1990s a process of industrial reconversion began, aimed at developing activities related to shipbuilding, boating and tourism.
In 2001 the city, with its 91,400 inhabitants, was the fiftieth Italian city in size and among the promoters of the Network of Strategic Cities.
Climate
The Spezia generally enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate, however intrusions of cold air of Balkan origin (coming from the passages communicating with the Pada Plain behind the city) can rarely occur, lowering the temperature, to near, if not actually, at zero.
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is 7.6 ° C. Summers are characterized by fairly high temperatures, with averages of the warmest month (July) above 24 ° C.
The rainfall is high, both due to the humidity throughout the Ligurian arc, and due to the covering activity of the Apennines. The average rainfall is 1,343 mm of rain per year, with maximum peaks in autumn (larger) and spring. Prolonged rainy periods, especially in autumn / winter, occur frequently, but not annually.
Although very rare, in a few years snow may appear in the city, which may remain in the hilly areas of the urban hinterland.
