Altitude: 315 m a.s.l.
Area: 14 sq km
Distance from Imperia: 30 km
Inhabitants: in 1881: 1287 - in 2017: 168
Patron Saint Day: June 24th - San Giovanni Battista
Information: Municipality phone 0184 409017
According to tradition, Montalto Ligure was founded before the year 1000 by a married couple, who was later joined by relatives and friends, who took refuge in the then wild "Mons Autus" to avoid the implementation of the "jus primae noctis" by Oberto, Count of Ventimiglia.
Originally a fief of the bishop of Albenga Odoardo, the village entered the domain of Anselmo de' Quadraginta di Lingueglietta in 1153 and was then included in the fief of Badalucco under the Counts of Ventimiglia, who in 1259 sold it, together with Badalucco, Triora and Carpasio, to Guglielmo Boccanegra, a representative of the Republic of Genoa to whom it remained subjected ever since.
In the fifteenth century Montalto obtained the Statutes that, variously modified, remained in force until 1803. The town preserves the original Roman "pagus" plan, with the intact medieval fabric that makes it one of the best preserved historical centers of west Liguria.
Visit of the town
As soon as you enter the village, park in Piazza Caduti at the beginning of the built-up area on the left immediately after the bend and walk up the cobblestone ramp that, facing the town, climbs to the left along Via Argentina under the very high bulk of the slender bell tower. At the stone arch of the vault, take Salita San Giovanni Battista on the right, passing at number 2 the portal with massive monolithic jambs and an architrave of 1533, faced by the window-door of an ancient shop, and a little further on at number 8 the other portal with architrave carved in a Trigram between the letters I and R.
Thus you’ll arrive to the churchyard of the church of San Giovanni Battista and San Giorgio, founded in 1407 and restored in 1618, which in addition to the beautiful organ by Antonio Grinda of 1810 preserves inside the golden polyptych, moved there from the church of the same name, "San Giorgio con altri santi " of 1516 by Ludovico Brea, with stories of martyrs in the lower part; the cymatium (the upper part of the polyptych) was stolen by Napoleon and is now preserved in the Louvre.
On the right wall there is the sixteenth-century "Martyrdom of Saint Stephen" by Emanuele Macario and the "Resurrection of Christ" of 1563 by Luca Cambiaso.
In the parish there is the polyptych "Madonna with Child" (1546) by Emanuele Macario da Pigna.
Leaving the church and observing the mutilated architrave under the loggia in front of you, climb under the vault to the right along Via Brea and after a few steps turn to look at the façade, faced by the house with an architrave carved in a Trigram, of the fifteenth-century oratory of San Vincenzo, built on the vault overhanging the square below; inside is a sixteenth-century panel by Francesco Brea.
Proceeding to the left under the vault, past the fountain with a drinking trough in worn black stone you’ll find, on the left, affixed on a restored house, two decorated architraves: the first is from 1618, carved in a Trigram with the letters B and A; the second, from 1655, is smaller and more decorated, carved in a Trigram in a double oval with the funereal inscription "MEMENTO MORI" (Remember that you must die).
After passing a window-door immediately after, pass under the vault and then go up to the right along Via Parlamento from which you’ll come out into the open space with a stone basin fountain in front of two black stone portals on the left; on the architrave of the second one is engraved the inscription: "CORNU BOS CAPITUR VOCE LIGATUR HOMO" (the ox is imprisoned by the horns, man is tied by the voice).
A few steps further on there is on the left at number 13 another portal with decorated jambs and a roof surmounted by an aedicule; the road ends with an archaic house.
Go up the ramp to the left of the fountain, passing on the right two stone portals with a round arch and an ogival arch respectively and then the other one under the archivolt on the left; from there take under the vault to the right, immediately looking to the left at the stone portal which is all what remains of the castle of the XII century, faced by the plaque with a Trigram and decorated tondos affixed at the base of the staircase.
Climbing on the left along Via Castello, past the fountain below the vault, you’ll come out of the village with a view of the valley and the sanctuary that you will soon visit.
Going back take the left along Via IV Novembre passing, after the narrow passage, the portal on the left with a jamb decorated with a rosette and continue on the same level passing the millstone under the vault and then the semicircular staircase; taking then under the vault to the right you’ll end up on the street where stands the town hall and a little further on the right, at number 23, a portal with a roof with a Trigram on the architrave followed at number 11 by another stone portal.
Go to the left and cross the vault that houses the aedicule with the writing: "TU NOS AB HOSTE P (ro) TEGE" (You protect us from the enemy), continuing then along the side of the church; when you reach the vault, turn left on Via Costa, passing the fountain with a stone basin.
You’ll thus arrive to the small widening that offers you a glimpse of "ciappe" roofs, small terraces with vine-covered pergolas and stone stairs of the village; after descending the steep stairway with small vegetable gardens on the right, return to the roadway taking the left.
After passing Piazza dei Caduti where you parked, walk along the road that branches off to the left and then the ramp that descends to the right reaching the little church of San Giorgio in two hundred meters.
Built around the year 1100, the building was retouched two centuries later: of the original Romanesque building remain the north wall and the trussed roof and, inside, the massive columns, the dividing wall and the stone seats along the walls; the façade in well squared ashlars, the portal, the apse and the bell tower are instead in classic fourteenth-century Gothic style.
The façade has a simple portal in smooth stone with a cross carved in the keystone, surmounted by a beautiful mullioned window with a marble column with a decorated capital and a cross-shaped window; on the left there is a narrow and high single-light window, on the right there is the rough spire bell tower decorated with hanging arches.
The right side door is half hidden by the mortuary chapel, while the left one is walled.
The strictly Romanesque interior, paved with cobbles, is divided into three naves by sturdy low columns connected by round arches and cut in two by the archaic low stone wall with a seat that separates the space reserved to the catechumens.
The quadrangular central apse is decorated with fourteenth-century frescoes representing the Apostles, surmounted by a large oval with the figure of Christ; it is connected to the hall by a large Gothic stone arch frescoed in the upper part with well-preserved fourteenth-century figures of St. George, the Virgin and a Saint, as well as the second column on the left is frescoed with a figure depicting a saint.
In the central apse a black stone cabinet is affixed on the right and another simpler one is in the apse of the right nave; noteworthy is the lectern in black stone; on the right there is a San Cristoforo of 1200.
Back to the car, from the Provincial Road take this same road but instead of going down to the church continue straight on; after about two kilometers of a narrow, steep, winding road crossed by ditches you’ll reach the fifteenth-century Sanctuary of Madonna dell'Acqua Santa, whose façade was entirely rebuilt in the late 1930s with the two small bell towers donated by local families.
The numerous votive offerings preserved in the apse, behind the robust wrought iron gate, testify to the miracles operated by the perennial spring incorporated into the church.
On the third Sunday of August takes place the festival of Frandura (a particular cake made of potato, flour, milk, oil and cheese) prepared according to a recipe jealously guarded by the cooks of the town.
Back to the Provincial Road, continue to climb along the Carpasina Valley until you reach Carpasio.