Oneglia

Oneglia (Inéja in Ligurian) is a former town in northern Italy on the Ligurian coast, in 1923 joined to Porto Maurizio to form the Comune of Imperia. The name is still used for the suburb.[1]

Oneglia

Imperia Oneglia railway station, 2010

The Imperia Oneglia railway station was closed in 2016.

History

Oneglia became a papal domain in the 8th century after the Lombards transferred control of the town to the pope.[1] Oneglia suffered from a Muslim attack during this time.[1] However, it later recovered as the town of Ripa Uneliae, and was governed by the bishop of Albenga.[1] The Doria Family purchased Oneglia and Porto Maurizio in 1298.[1] The Dorias ruled the town until the 16th century (there were some brief interludes in which the Doria did not rule the town during this time).[1] One of the Dorias, Andrea Doria, was born in Oneglia in 1466.[1]

In 1576 Oneglia and Porto Maurizio became part of the domain of the House of Savoy.[1] The Savoyards attempted to develop Oneglia as a major port[1] and the Savoyards and Genoese struggled for control of Oneglia during the Second Genoese-Savoyard War.[2] Oneglia resisted Napoleon during his invasion of Italy.[1] As a reward, it was made seat of the province in 1814 but in 1860 became part of the province of Porto Maurizio until 1923.[1]

Notable residents

• Filippo Berio (1828-1894), olive oil connoisseur
• Grock (1880–1959), Swiss clown, who built Villa Grock here

References

1. Roy Palmer Domenico, The regions of Italy: a reference guide to history and culture (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002), 165
2. Edmund Ludlow, The memoirs of Edmund Ludlow, lieutenant-general of the horse in the army of the commonwealth of England, 1625-1672, Volume 2. Editor: Charles Harding Firth (Clarendon Press, 1894), 438n.