Ersa, Haute-Corse

French commune
nomcommune=Ersa
Boticella, part of Ersa
région=Corse
département=Haute-Corse
arrondissement=Bastia
canton=Capobianco
insee=2B107
cp=20275
maire=
mandat=
intercomm=
longitude=9.38083333333
latitude=42.9761111111
alt moy=260 m
alt mini=0 m
alt maxi=562 m
hectares=2,045
km²=20.45
sans=135
date-sans=2005
dens=6
date-dens=2005

Ersa is a commune of the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.

Geography

Ersa is the northernmost commune of Corsica. It extends from Centuri to the West, to Rogliano to the East. Ersa is covered with shrubs and arid summits. The coast, which is carved to the West by the Cape Grossu (Cape Grosso) and the Punta of Corno of Becco, has beautiful beaches of sand and pebbles. The commune is watered by the streams Acqua Tignose and Granaghjulu on its undulating slopes of the Mount Maghjore (364 m).

History

The ancient Latin name of Ersa is Arsia. Human occupation predated Roman conquest.

The commune experienced Turkish occupation during 1555 to 1571.In 1592 the Republic of Genoa annexed Ersa, which allied itself to Pascal Paoli in 1757.

Until the 17th century, the Cape Corse was the target of frequent incursions of barbaric pirates. When Corse joined France at the end of the 17th century there were 1130 inhabitants, highly involved in the cultivation of grapes for wine. Since then the population has dropped to about 135 inhabitants.Fact|date=May 2008

Villages

The villages of the commune of Ersa lie between the two summits. They are connected by the departmental route D80.

* 'Rota'
* 'Boticella' - this dominant village is grouped of the chapel Saint Jean-Baptiste;
* 'Cucincu' - in the small hamlet discovers itself the chapel Saint-Peters
* 'Granaghjulu' - the mansions are perched and the lanes compact - the church Saint Andrew and its steeple are historic monuments.
* 'Guadellu'- the vast church Saint Andrew, today ruined, is the intermediate of the chapel of confraternity Santa-Croce.
* 'Gualdu' - this hamlet in the middle of Piazza raises itself to a square tower and the chapel Sainte- Anne
* 'Piazza': Chief town-- an ancient convent of Capucins dating to XVIIe century and sheltering the town hall, the school and the room of functions - the ancient church of the convent , Santa-Maria-Assunta, is today a parish - with the likewise chapel Saint-Antonie
* 'Poghju'- one discovers here a round tower, hence the chapels Saint-Joseph and Saint-Roch
* 'Suertu'- this village abandon to the ? San Nicolau is always dominated by the ruined chapel of the same name.

The ancient small port of Barcaghju, situated at the rear of the bay, near to the mouth of river Acqua Tignose, offers a panorama of the island of Giraglia. It occupies the location of a pre-Roman village. One finds here the chapel of Saint Peter and 2 km to the south the wrecked chapel Saint-Lucie. Its grand beach of fine sand presents a spectacular sand-dune. Near the commune of Rogliano, is the Génoise tower of Agnello, framing on the headland of Cape Agnello.The second sea-front, Tollare, at the mouth of the River Granaghjulu, extends its ancient mansions around that of its chapel Saint-Anne and its round Genoise tower.

ee also

* Communes of the Haute-Corse département