Lorsica

Enrico Pelos

General

Lorsica is a small country village and it is situated among olive and chestnut trees on a small hill on the eastern side of the Malvaro Valley and its Roman bridge testifies to its very ancient origin. The church of Santa Maria Assunta was built in the fifteenth century but later extended and renovated. Most of the territory is composed of gently sloping hills, although at the top of the High Way is Barbagelata 1115 metres. The church of Barbagelata is a modern building designed in the rather strange form of a tent and dedicated in 1972 to Santa Maria Regina del Creato, is the highest parish church of the Ligurian Appennine. The excursions to Monte Caucaso and Monte Ramaceto are very beautiful and reasonably easy and part of the paths are also suitable for mountain bikes. There is a small two-room refuge for travellers at Barbagelata; the numerous small local restaurants offer simple, traditional dishes such as ravioli and Ligurian fried specialities. Lorsica has been famous for centuries for the production of precious silk fabrics such as damask, taffeta, shantung and macramé, which were once to be found everywhere in the residences of the Genoese nobility. Nowadays, there is only one factory producing silks and canvas for macramé; since the sixteenth century it has owned the property rights to over 300 fabric designs.
Lorsica is a local government that is made up various picturesque communities that are situated in chestnut woods. These communities are: Verzi, Acqua, Figarolo, Monteghirfo, Barbagelata and Castagnelo. This town reminds of memorable past events, when in the Fontanabuona Valley and its the resources came from agriculture once integrated with very refined and famous handicrafts an activity which dates back to the 16th century and its fabrics were exported in all of Europe through the Port of Genoa.
This handcraft created many jobs for women up until the 1800’s and stil there is a family continueing the traditional production of damasks worked on 20th century looms. The town is not located on the main road of the Fontanabuona Valley, but it remains in the background of a valley that has the Tirello river and Ramaceto mount (1345 meters) which is its highest peak.

(published on the web  10/04/2004)