Photos

1296
A bull of Pope Bonifacio VIII defines the monastery of St. Ampelio "monasterium Sancti Ampelii subtus Burdigheta". Perhaps the name Burdigheta comes from the Franco - Provençal word "bordigue", which means fish-weir, that is to say an artificial lake closed by walls of reeds, used at the time by a group of several fishermen's families, who probably lived on the hill above Cape St. Ampelio.

1470
On 2nd September, 32 families from Castrum Sancti Nicolai, meet in the parish church and decide together to rebuild the "villam alias existentem in capite Burdighete". The fact is that the meeting indicates the act of foundation of the modern Bordighera: fortified village, at the top of a hill in front of the sea.

1686
On 21st April, the representative of eight "villas" dependant on Ventimiglia meet in Bordighera and decide the constitution of the "Eight Places' Magnificent Community". The protagonists of this peaceful federalist secession are: Camporosso, Vallebona, Vallecrosia, San Biagio, Sasso, Soldano, Borghetto and Bordighera.

1815
After the Congress of Vienna, Liguria is annexed to the State of Sardinia. Now Bordighera belongs to the Division of Nice, province of Sanremo.

1818
The new road from Paris to Nice, wanted by Napoleon and called "The Great Frame", improves the communications along the Riviera, which once was crossed by uncomfortable and dangerous mule-tracks, where people travelled on mule back or in a palanquin, along the steeps paths among the rocks and on precipice above the sea.

1860
Five years after the publication of the novel, the first hotel was opened. Its name is Hotel d'Angleterre and the English Prime Minister Lord Russel, one of the pioneers of the tourism in Bordighera would come to the hotel in 1861. In 1861 the city had 1600 inhabitants.

1872
Firstly the road, then the railway multiplies the crowd of tourists. French, English, Russian, Austrian, German families travel on the main lines "grand-express", which cross Europe, such as the Petersburg - Warsaw - Vienna - Cannes, which stops in Bordighera too. Bordighera is a winter resort. The tourists arrive in autumn and leave in spring.

1887
The French writer Stéphen Liégeard celebrates "the great hotels of Bordighera, which provide stays at a high level". "Bordgihera" - he assures - "is a place which you can't not return to".

1903
Edmondo De Amicis dedicates one of his funny "Pagine Allegre" to Bordighera, called "Heaven of the English". During winter, the English colony counts 3000 persons. There are many famous guests, such as Queen Margaret, who came regularly to Bordighera since 1879 and will give a concrete sign of her presence.


From Bordighera Official Site