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People, history, traditions

PAST, PRESENT

Two localities, two peoples, different personalities and traditions, which together have carved out the history and identity of the Cervia area

Old Ficocle and New Cervia foundation

Shrouded in a halo of mystery, to know the history of Cervia, the city that was rebuilt three times, you have to travel back through the centuries

Birth of the Garden City

The early 20th century saw the birth of Milano Marittima, a tourist resort for the Milanese bourgeoisie, cradled by the sea and protected by a pine forest.

The Fishermen of the past

The fishermen are among the protagonists of the story. Coming from different places, once they arrived in Cervia they settled near the sea, on Borgo Marina.

History and culture of salt miners

About 2 km from the sea lies the Salina, the ancient seat of the town. This is where one of Cervia's oldest traditions was born, that of salt production.

PROTAGONISTS OF CERVIA

History has been written by great personalities, women and men who have made Cervia their home.

Famous people

Monument for Grazia Deledda

Bishops, artists, sportsmen, academics. From its origins to the present day, many people have lived, worked and animated the streets of Cervia.

In particular, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Grazia Deledda, Mario Luzi and Roberto Vecchioni have been awarded honorary citizenship, for their commitment, works and eternal bond with the town.

Women's of Cervia

Le campagnole  - Ph. Gruppo Lithos

The Merchants settled in Piazza Pisacane with their products, the Campagnole sold fresh fish and the Cavadore gathered salt. Then there was Grazia Deledda, Nobel Prize winner for literature, the political activist Maria Goia and Isotta Gervasi, "the doctor of the poor".

Great women with great dedication to whom an itinerary is dedicated, an open-air gallery along Cervia's historic centre.

Eight panels recount corners of the city and the role of the women who wrote and carried on history and tradition.

 

 

 

RITUALS, LEGENDS

Cervia festivals and myths

Ancient festivals in Cervia

Marriage of the sea - historical photo - Ph. Collezione di Gabriele Bernabini

Several festivals have been held in Cervia for centuries, such as St. Paterniano, the patron saint of the town, Virgin of the Fire, the cult of the Salinarians and the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, to whom the church of the same name is dedicated.

Today, among the rituals recalled annually, the Sea Wedding and the feast of Saint Laurence's Day stand out.

Legends

Church of Madonna del Pino

Passed down over the years by the people of Cervia, the legend of the salt pans and that of the Lady of the Pine are linked to the nature of the area, which has always embraced the town.

The myth of Mazapegol, the mischievous elf with a red hat who lives in the Romagna woods, is a little different.

 

Sante Crepaldi

A portrait of Cervia in the 1960s and 1970s

THEMATIC ROUTES

CERVIA REMEMBERS...

Cervia ricorda

Cervia ricorda is a project by ZiriaLab to tell the most authentic identity of the territory.

Episode after episode, the web documentary gives voice to the precious stories, preserved in the memory of fishermen, salt workers and all those who have built Cervia's history with their work.

ECOMUSEUM OF CERVIA

Salina di Cervia, panoramica

The Ecomuseum of Salt and the Sea of Cervia was created from urban and natural landscapes, from the culture and memory of yesterday and today.

It preserves the values of the territory and of the community living in it. It enhances and protects its heritage by offering everyone the opportunity to experience and know it.

People, history, traditions

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Tourist Information

www.turismo.comunecervia.it - #VisitCervia - iatcervia@cerviaturismo.it - +39 0544 974400