Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse

Saint-Florent San Fiurenzu
Citadel Citadel
Coat of arms of Saint-Florent Coat of arms
Saint-Florent
Location within Corsica region Saint-Florent
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Corsica
Department	Haute-Corse
Arrondissement	Bastia
Canton	La Conca-d'Oro
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Claudy Olmeta
Area1	17.98 km2 (6.94 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	1,636
• Density	91/km2 (240/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	2B298 / 20217
Elevation	0–356 m (0–1,168 ft) (avg. 10 m or 33 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Florent (Corsican: San Fiurenzu) is a commune in Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. Originally a fishing port located in the gulf of the same name, nowadays pleasure boats have largely taken the place of fishing vessels.

Today, it is a popular summer vacation spot for many tourists because of its proximity to the Patrimonio vineyards and the Saleccia beach.

History

Saint-Florent was created by the Genoese in the 16th century as a base to carry out repressive operations against the Corsican patriots in the surrounding villages. France later used it to disembark hordes of mercenaries and colonists during August 1764 in order to subject the independent Corsican people. After the defeat at Ponte Novu Bridge, the army of Pasquale Paoli, sometimes called "the Father of Corsica", helped by the fleet of Horatio Nelson, reconquered Saint-Florent in 1794 during the brief Anglo-Corsican rule.

Population

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% 1774 350 —     1911 720 +105.7% 1962 611 −15.1% 1968 805 +31.8% 1975 1,065 +32.3%	Year Pop. ±% 1982 1,217 +14.3% 1990 1,350 +10.9% 1999 1,474 +9.2% 2008 1,636 +11.0%

Climate

Saint-Florent has a typically Mediterranean climate - mild winters with temperatures rarely dropping below zero give way to long, warm, dry summers with temperatures peaking at around 35 °C (95 °F) in July and August.

Sights

Saint-Florent Cathedral

The monuments of Saint-Florent are the Genoese citadel constructed in 1440 at the same time as the city, and the Romanesque Saint-Florent Cathedral, or the cathedral of the Nebbio, now the church of Santa Maria Assunta.

Near the village are the Genoese towers Torra di San Fiurenzu, Torra di Mortella, and Torra di Fornali.

See also

• Communes of the Haute-Corse department

References

• INSEE

External links

• Picture of Saint-Florent Cathedral