La Spezia

Comune della Spezia
Coat of arms of Comune della Spezia
Municipal coat of arms
Italy location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of La Spezia in Italy
Country Flag of Italy Italy
Region Liguria
Province La Spezia (SP)
Mayor Massimo Federici
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Area 51.39 km² (19.8 sq mi)
Population (as of 1 January, 2007)
 - Total 94,192[1]
 - Density 1,833/km² (4,747/sq mi)
Time zone CET, UTC+1
Coordinates
Gentilic Spezzini
Dialing code 0187
Postal code 19100, 19121-19126, 19131-19139
Frazioni Biassa, Campiglia, La Foce, Pitelli, San Venerio, Sarbia
Patron St. Joseph
 - Day March 19
Website: www.comune.sp.it

La Spezia (Spèsa in the local dialect of Ligurian) is a city in the Liguria region of northern Italy, at the head of La Spezia Gulf, and capital city of the province of La Spezia.
It is one of the major Italian military and commercial harbours, located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea. La Spezia also hosts one of the biggest military industries of Italy, OTO Melara.

Panorama of La Spezia.

The Province of La Spezia has a surface area of 881 km², with a total population of over 222,000 inhabitants.

It is made up of 32 Municipalities. In its territory is one of the true jewels of Italy, the celebrated Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the five small coastal villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia (a frazione of Vernazza), Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, are completely free of car traffic, and can be reached only by a railway, hiking trails and a pedestrian ferry service

Today, La Spezia is the chief Italian naval station and arsenal and the seat of a navigation school. It is also a commercial port, with shipyards and industries producing machinery, metal products, and refined petroleum. this link).

Contents

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History

The area of La Spezia has been settled since pre-historic times. In Roman times the most important centre was Luni now located in the vicinity of Sarzana (small city near La Spezia). During World War II, the naval base was bombed during Operation Bellicose.

Main sights

La Spezia is a point of departure for the Cinque Terre, either by train or boat. The boat also leads you to Lerici and Portovenere before turning into the open sea towards the Cinque Terre.

Both Lerici and Portovenere are reachable by public transport (15 km) from the central station of La Spezia.

Main landmarks of the city proper include:

University

Since 2002 La Spezia is headquarters of a University named G.Marconi. The university offers five courses of degrees:

Churches

Museums

Church of Santa Maria Assunta.
View from the sea.
Gulf of La Spezia

Others

Events

Notable people

Rebekah

Footnotes

See also

External links