Part 23

The history or traditions of Monaco extend further back than those of most of the localities of the Riviera. It derives its name from Hercules, who is supposed to have touched here on his way into Spain, and to have gained a great victory over the native tribes. Hence the name of Portus Herculis, by which the place was known in the early centuries of our era. This was afterwards changed to Portus Herculis Monœci, and finally into Monaco. The rocky fortress subsequently fell into the hands of the Saracens, who are said to have been expelled from it in the tenth century by the same Grimoald or Grimaldi who dislodged the Moors from the Grand Fraxinet, and whose successors became the Princes of Monaco.

In the eleventh century the place seems to have been abandoned, and in 1162 the Emperor Frederick I. presented it to the Republic of Genoa, who took possession, and rebuilt the fortifications in 1215. During the struggles of the Italian Republics, and the wars of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, Monaco several times changed hands, but was most frequently in the possession of the Grimaldi, and sometimes became the shelter of bands of pirates who scoured the Mediterranean. The Grimaldi sided with the French in the Italian wars of Charles VIII. and Louis XII., and through the influence of the latter became the governors of the whole of the Western Riviera.

During the struggle between France and Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Monaco was alternately under the protection of each. The boundaries of the principality then included Mentone and Roquebrune, but in 1848 Mentone declared itself a free town. Since the annexation of the county of Nice by France, the principality, which is about three miles long by about half a mile wide, is entirely surrounded by the French Canton of “Menton.”

A comparatively easy drive to the town has now been made up the east side of the rock, but the original approach was by a steep flight of steps, carefully defended with strongly fortified gates, and commanded by the battlements above (_see_ sketch, Fig. 258). The existing works at this point are evidently of the seventeenth century. The north side, which overlooks the mainland, was fortified with a large circular bastion at the western angle (Fig. 259), and a square one at the eastern angle. The former still retains some of the large corbels which carried the original parapet of the fifteenth century; but the bastions have been heightened and made suitable for artillery at a later date. On arriving at the top of the entrance to the town, a wide open staircase ascends to the front of the Ducal Palace (Fig. 258). This edifice is a picturesque assemblage of buildings of several dates, chiefly of the Renaissance period. Some of the old towers retain their forked battlements, a form common in the North of Italy. The whole place is vast and palatial, and from its lofty site and splendid background, composed of a rugged mountain called the Tête de

Chien, has a noble and impressive appearance. The courtyard of the palace is also a fine though somewhat peculiar specimen of Italian design, the fresco paintings on the walls giving it a rich and southern aspect.

The town consists of three parallel streets, and contains some good bits of old work. A large new church in the early Romanesque or Provençal style of architecture has recently been erected. The old church contained specimens of capitals, and other details very similar to those of the lower arcade in the Castle of St Honorat. The gardens of the palace, which extend round the western side of the rock, where every chink and crevice is filled with fig trees, aloes, pears, and palms, form a delightful promenade; and the views from the walls towards Monte Carlo and Mentone,

with the mountain ranges behind them, are most charming. Only a few miles off (about an hour’s walk) the remark remarkable town of ROQUEBRUNE is seen embosomed in orange groves on the slope of the mountain. The ascent from the railway station is by a steep and narrow path, which penetrates into the town by a long vaulted and stepped passage, the entrance to which is through a small arched gateway, defended by a wide overhanging machicolation (Fig. 260). The church of St Margaret is then reached, in which the old font (Fig. 261) is worthy of note. The peculiarity of this town arises from the huge masses of rock which stand up amongst the houses, and at a short distance present the appearance of a great castle. These give the town its name, and one of them, larger than the rest, is actually crowned with the remains of the ancient fortress of the Lascaris (Fig. 262), which, however, is now but an empty shell. One or two open “places” amongst the great rocks form beautiful terraces, commanding fine and extensive prospects.

The railway, after leaving Roquebrune, sweeps round the Cap Martin, and enters the bay of MENTONE, which is only about four miles off. This town, like all the others on the coast, had its castle on the summit of a promontory which juts out into the sea, and divides the coast into two portions, called the eastern and western bays. The Counts of Ventimiglia and the Genoese had, at different times, possession of the town and castle, but it was for the most part an appanage of Monaco, and followed its fortunes. In 1848 the inhabitants formed themselves into a free Republic, and enjoyed autonomy for thirteen years, after which Mentone became the “chef lieu” of a French Canton. The town was at one time surrounded with walls, which rose straight up from the sea. It thus completely occupied

the narrow strip of land between the shore and the hill on which the castle stood, and barred the way along the coast. The eastern gate of the town, and the “Long Street,” which is also a very narrow one, leading through it, still remain, but a new and wider roadway, which forms part of the Cornice Road, has been constructed along the back of the houses in the eastern bay, and now encloses the harbour on the side next the town. An old square tower at the extreme point of the promontory is one of the few relics of the fortifications of the town. Above the “Long Street” the houses are built in terraces, rising rapidly tier above tier on the hillsides, and approached by long flights of steps and narrow vaulted lanes. In the midst of these stand the churches, buildings of the seventeenth century, of clumsy character. The towers and spires, however, form a picturesque group (Fig. 263); and along with the houses, as seen from the harbour, together with the magnificent background of lofty and partly snow-clad mountains which shelter Mentone on the north, they compose a splendid picture.

The old castle which formerly crowned the summit, has been entirely demolished, and its site is occupied as a cemetery, from which very fine views are obtained both of the coast line and of the mountains on the north. Numerous narrow valleys and gorges run up from the sea towards the mountains, forming beautiful and interesting promenades and excursions, but there is little to attract the student of architecture.

At GORBIO, beautifully situated about five miles from Mentone to the west, and some distance up a charming valley, there are an old church with a dark nave, and the remains of a castle of the Lascaris. The houses here are united by arches thrown across the narrow streets, an arrangement very common in this district, and supposed to be for the purpose of resisting to some extent the effect of earthquakes.

STE AGNÈS, not far from Gorbio, is also a favourite excursion. It is a lofty and beautiful spot, with the remains of an old castle said to be of Saracenic origin.

The ascent to CASTELLAR forms another delightful walk of about an hour and a-half, giving a fine idea of the richness of the valleys of Mentone in lemons, in the growth of which they excel every place north of Palermo. The town of Castellar is of some extent, and its situation on a “col” at the top of a steep ascent is fine, but there is no architecture of importance. It is clumsily built, and has been at one time surrounded with walls, which now form the exterior of houses. Some remains of ditches and towers--one of the latter being converted into the belfry of the church--also still exist.

About a mile eastwards from Mentone the Cornice Road crosses by the bold arch of the Pont St Louis the ravine which now forms the boundary between France and Italy. Since 1861 the limits of France have been extended considerably further eastwards than in ancient times, when La Turbie marked the boundary of Gaul. In the course of our journey we have observed that as we approach the frontier, the towns possess a good deal of the Italian character, and that both historically and architecturally they have much in common with Italy. The architectural styles of France and Italy were observed to overlap each other in the district we have just examined. But when we pass the modern boundary of France at the Pont St Louis, we may

be said to have left nearly all trace of French and Provençal architecture behind, and in our further progress eastwards we shall meet with almost nothing which is not entirely Italian in style. We shall therefore in concluding our journey give only a rapid sketch of some of the more important buildings between Mentone and Genoa.

The railway eastwards from Mentone follows the coast line, and cuts through some lofty rocks at the mouth of the

torrent of St Louis, famous from containing the caves in which have been discovered human remains, associated with the bones of extinct animals, such as the mammoth, the great bear, the elk, &c.

About seven miles from Mentone, the line passes

through a tunnel, on emerging from which the frontier town of VENTIMIGLIA is seen towering above the plain of the river Roya. It stands on a bold rocky headland, defended on one side by the sea, and on the other by the river. Like all border towns, its possession was constantly disputed by the neighbouring suzerains, and it endured many sieges, but was generally under the authority of the town of Genoa. The streets are narrow and tortuous, and have the usual picturesque staircases and arches. The porch of the cathedral seen in the sketch (Fig. 264) is old, and is decidedly Italian in character, but the rest of the front is modern. The interior again (Fig. 265) might be a Provençal Cistertian design, such as that of Thoronet.

Two miles eastwards from Ventimiglia, the valley of the Nervia opens to the left. An easy and agreeable walk of about five miles up the valley leads to the very quaint old town of DOLCE AQUA. On the way we pass through the decaying but picturesque town of Campo Rosso with an open “place” lined with arcaded footways.

The most ancient part of Dolce Aqua lies on the left side of the river, which is crossed by an old bridge of one span, having the roadway stepped up on each side, and showing traces of old fortifications. Above this the houses rise in tiers, forming a dense and confused labyrinth of narrow lanes and dark tunnels--many of the former

crossed by strengthening arches thrown between the houses on each side (Fig. 266). Dominating the whole stand the proud ruins of the castle of the Dorias (Fig. 267), a family famous in the history of Genoa and the Riviera. It is a building of a late date (seventeenth century), and has been defended with great bastions mounted with cannons (Fig. 268), surrounded with walls, and provided with a drawbridge. The castle has evidently contained large and sumptuous apartments, but the interior is now reduced to total ruin. The town has also been provided with fortifications, of which one tower near the river has been appropriated and heightened into a church steeple (Fig. 268). The castle has been abandoned since the wars of 1748, and the descendants of the Dorias now occupy a mansion, situated under the walls, in which there is a finely carved chimney piece, and an interesting collection of family portraits. The town of PIGNA, about ten miles further up the valley, is said to contain a good church of the fifteenth century, with pointed arches, and a fine painting of the sixteenth century.

Passing the ancient republic of Bordighera, with its arcaded streets and splendid palm gardens, we soon reach SAN REMO. This ancient town, originally independent, came ultimately, like the rest of the Riviera, under the authority of Genoa. It consists as usual of one principal street along the narrow strip of ground between the base

of the hill on which the old town stands and the sea. The town consists of the ordinary pile of terraced houses with narrow tortuous streets and steep flights of steps leading up to them. There is here an extraordinary profusion of the arches, of which we have met with examples elsewhere, thrown across the narrow streets, in order to strengthen the houses against the shocks of earthquake to which this region is liable. These features sometime produce, together with the stairs and tall houses, extraordinary combinations and effects (Figs. 269 and 270).

The cathedral of San Siro, which stands detached in a small “place,” has some good Italian features still preserved,--amongst which are the north and south doorways (Fig. 271), the remainder having been greatly modernised and spoiled.

In the main street there are some fair specimens of Renaissance palaces, somewhat in the style of those of Genoa.

From the railway station of Arma di Taggia, some miles east of San Remo, an expedition may be made about five miles up the valley to the exquisitely quaint old town of TAGGIA. It concentrates in itself all the various remarkable features of the towns of the Riviera in its arcaded streets and vaulted footpaths, narrow lanes crossed with arches, and approached by steep stairs and dark tunnels; and these features are here all combined in so profuse and picturesque a manner as to present an epitome of those of all the rest. In the midst of these striking general

effects, so captivating to the artist, it is difficult, however, to pick out anything which may be regarded as really good architecture. Fig. 272 gives some idea of the picturesqueness of the arcaded streets and gateways, while Figs. 273 and 274 give a few good architectural details. The first (Fig. 273) might, from its style, be the lintel of any fifteenth century house in Genoa (a splendid example of a similar style of doorway at Genoa being shown in Fig. 281), and the other (Fig. 274) is a Renaissance doorway in black marble ornamented with raised arabesques. Close to the town is the monastery of San Cristofero, where the ancient cloister and tower (Fig. 275) are good specimens of early Italian work. The vaulting of

the cloister is late, the original roof being probably of timber. The tower is a good Italian campanile, with string courses of the arcaded ornament so common in Lombardy and the Rhineland.

We are now in the centre of the district which suffered so severely from the earthquakes of 1887. BUSSANA is passed on the right in returning to the railway. The towns of PORTO MAURIZIO (which stands on a solitary rock), ONEGLIA, and DIANO MARINA, all names too well known in connection with the above catastrophe, are reached in succession before arriving at ALASSIO, the furthest east of the health resorts of the Riviera. The tower of the church here (Fig. 276) has the usual form of the Italian campanile.

A few miles further east bring us to ALBENGA, which is, architecturally speaking, the most interesting town on this part of the coast. It lies in a hollow near the mouth of the river Acosia, and is defended from the cold winds of the North by an amphitheatre of lofty, snow-clad mountains. The general view of the town from the

railway station (Fig. 278) shews the peculiar preponderance of square towers for which it is remarkable. On closer inspection these are found to be no less surprising than when seen from a distance. They are generally quite plain and are built of brick. The view of the west end of the church (Fig. 277) shews four of these towers crowded close together, exhibiting examples of several different designs. That over the north entrance to the church has a strong resemblance to the campaniles of Lombardy, such as that of Mantua, and is thoroughly Italian in every detail, while the plain square towers adjoining recall similar examples at Bologna and elsewhere in Italy. That again at the east end of the church, which has the figure of the lion at its base (Fig. 279), with its plain brick shaft, its triple arcaded top, and fork-shaped battlements, is almost identical with those of Verona. The church has originally been an Italian design of the thirteenth century. Although now much altered and spoiled it has evidently had the same arcaded ornament at the eaves as we have observed at Grasse, San Remo, and elsewhere. The doorways also correspond in style with the above churches. To the north of the church is a very interesting baptistery, which reminds one of those of Fréjus and Aix. It is of octagonal form, 28 feet long by 26 feet wide, with a vault supported on Corinthian-like pillars, and has a very ancient but dismal and neglected appearance. One of the windows is filled with stone tracery of a Byzantine or Moorish character.

In moving eastwards we pass in succession CERIALE, with its fortifications, and LOANO with its great monasteries, VEREZZI with one good campanile, and FLNALMARINO with two. From the latter a view is obtained of FINALBORGO in the distance (about two miles off), where there are evidently the remains of a fine castellated structure. At

Noli there is an ancient entrance tower with an archway through it. Savona retains its fortifications of the Vauban School, and Verazze the shattered ruins of an old castle.

It is not intended to attempt to describe the architecture of GENOA. That has already formed the subject of special works, and would require a volume to itself. Only, in closing this account of the architecture of the Riviera, one or two examples from Genoa are given, in order to make more distinct the analogies to which attention has been drawn between the architecture of a large part of the Riviera and that of the famous Republic, as well as the style of Italy generally. Thus the side doorway of the cathedral exhibits, in a remarkable manner, the same imitation of Roman architecture (_see_ Vignette on title page, and Heading p. 25), modified by the introduction of Romanesque or Teutonic ornament, which we observed at St Gilles, Arles, and other churches of Provence. This doorway is part of the original building of the eleventh century, although the greater part of the cathedral was restored about 1300.

The façade of San Matteo, on which are engraved so many inscriptions in honour of the various distinguished members of the family of Doria and that of San Stefano, shew the arcaded caves, and the inlaid moulding under the cornice which exist at Grasse, San Remo, Ventimiglia, &c. The doorways of these churches have the same flat porch, with small projection, and plain pointed gable, and the same sort of arch and shafts as several of the examples we have met with in the Riviera. San Matteo dates from 1278. The cloister (Fig. 280) which adjoins that church is of the beginning of the fourteenth century, and contains the monuments of the Dorias, which have been brought here from the suppressed church of Santa Dominica. The cloisters of San Matteo, and also those of San Lorenzo, present shafts and caps in the same Italian style as we have observed extended as far westwards as the cloisters at Fréjus, and the upper cloister of the castle of St Honorat. The sculptured lintel in the Piazza San Matteo (Fig. 281), exhibiting the combat of St George and the Dragon, although more elaborate, is similar in style to the lintel of the house at Taggia (Fig. 273); while the campaniles and arcades of other churches in Genoa (Figs. 282 and 283) recall the Italian style, of which we have met with so many examples in Provence.

INDEX.

Aegitna, 308.

Aigues Mortes, 206.

Aix-en-Provence, 217.

Alassio, 454.

Albenga, 456.

Albigensian Crusades, 27.

Antibes, 84, 371.

Arles, 50, 183.

Autun, 33.

Aurelian Way, 79.

Auribeau, 380.

Avignon, 3, 34, 137.

Barbarians, Invasions of, 14.

Beaucaire, 173.

Béziers, 222.

Biot, 387.

Burgundy, Style of, 109.

Bussana, 456.

Byzantine Architecture, 97.

Cagnes, 376.

Callian, 364.

Camargue, The, 77.

Cannes, 83, 308.

Cannet, 275.

Carcassonne, 243.

Carpentras, 47, 167.

Castellar, 441.

Castellaras, 350.

Castellated Architecture, 116.

Cavaillon, 48, 167.

Cemenelum (Cimiès), 86, 421.

Ceriale, 458.

Charlemagne, Revival under, 17.

Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, 164.

Christian Buildings, Early, 95.

Church, Early Organisation of, 12; Revival of, 19.

Cistertian Architecture, 110, 274.

Citeaux, Monks of, 22.

Clausonne, 84.

Cluny, Abbey of, 19.

Cogolin, 302.

Courthézon, 137.

Crau, The, 77.

Cruas, 128.

Crusades, 23.

Crussol, 128.

Dolce Aqua, 448.

Dome, The use of, 105.

Elne, 239.

Esterel, 304.

Eza, 424.

Feudal System, 112.

Finalborgo, 458.

Finalmarino, 458.

France, Northern Architecture, 1.

“ Southern “, 3.

Fraxinet, le Grand, 304.

Fréjus, 80, 285.

Garde Adhémar, 134.

Gaul, Southern, History, 5, 9.

Genoa, 461.

Gorbio, 440.

Gothic, Northern, 114.

Gourdon, 366.

Grasse, 350.

Greek and Roman Colonies--in Towns--10.

Grimaud, 302.

Holy Roman Empires, 15.

Hyères, 270.

Iles de Lérins, 319.

La Garde Freinet, 304.

Lagunes, The, 221, 235.

La Trinité, Tower of, 382.

La Turbie, 87, 428.

Le Bar, 365.

Le Cannet, 347.

Le Luc, 80.

Le Thor, 167.

Les Baux, 178.

Les Maures, 299.

Les Saintes Maries, 212.

Loano, 458.

Lyons, 34, 121.

Marseilles, 79, 213.

Mediterranean, Littoral of--History, 7.

Mentone, 440.

Molléges, 168.

Monaco, 432.

Monasteries, Origin of, 12.

“ Growth of, 19.

Mont Majour, 194.

Mont St Cassien, 307.

Mougins, 348.

Municipalities of the Middle Ages, 11.

Musée Calvert, 34.

Napoule, 305.

Narbonne, 230.

Nice, 86, 418.

Nimes, 64.

Noli, 461.

Notre Dame de Vie, 349.

“ “ du Pré, Le Mans, 102.

Oneglia, 456.

Orange, 40.

Pernes, 167.

Perpignan, 235.

Phocæans in Gaul, 7.

Phœnicians do., 7.

Pigna, 449.

Pointed Arch, 107, 113.

Pomponiana, 80.

Pont du Gard, 76.

“ St Bénezet, 151.