After the earliest prehistoric inhabitants, who left many traces in the grottoes at Balzi Rossi, Toirano and the Finale area, it was the Liguri tribe that brought territorial and cultural unity to Liguria: although they were actually divided into a number of tribes, they made up a single nation that occupied the entire region. They were succeeded by the Romans, the Byzantines and the Lombards, who also left marks on the territory that can still be seen today in the many archaeological sites and fortifications both on the coast and in the hinterland. Place names also bear witness to these past civilisations. The Middle Ages were a time when religious architecture flourished, first through the various monastic orders and then through the various dioceses that for a long time had the control of vast territories. The most common types of buildings in the region are churches and sanctuaries. But the mediaeval landscape was also characterised by castles: some have completely disappeared, many are now just a few ruins, while others were incorporated into later constructions; however, many castles are still intact both on the coast and in the hinterland thanks to regular maintenance or appropriate restoration work. The villas and historic buildings in Genoa and throughout Liguria testify to the changing fortunes of the Ligurian nobility and bourgeoisie and to an intense cultural life in Genoa, especially from the sixteenth century onwards, when it was one of the most prestigious cities in Europe. Besides the artists who came here from all over Italy and Europe to embellish the local churches and historic buildings, we should not forget the numerous Ligurian artists who assimilated and applied the lessons of the master artists (as was the case with painting in the seventeenth century, for example). The libraries and archives to be found throughout the region document the civic, cultural and artistic history of Liguria, as well as the visits or longer terms of residence of many famous people , figures from the field of the arts, the sciences and letters. From the cultural cities....to the most hidden villages.........a trip through the endless art expressions and the several tastes of the Ligurian cooking......
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