By Andrea Gandolfo

Since June 1815 the village of Triora, was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia with all Ligurian Region, it became dependent on the subprefecture of Sanremo. Triora’s economy was agricultural and completely self-sufficient with their own orchards, market gardens, vineyards, olive trees, chestnut groves, and grazing lands. The woods and all Triora’s area was subject to fires, like that one happened on March 1819 near the village of Aigovo.

In 1831 the Triora’ s Parish, with other 24 Parishes of Albenga’ s Diocese, became part of Ventimiglia’ s Diocese. On August 1835 a cholera epidemic has struck the village of Triora, many people died. The cholera epidemic were attacked all Ligurian Region and especially Genoa.

In 1837 the Parish Church of Collegiata was restored and the Romanesque façade was transformed into neoclassical one, but with the preservation of Gothic portal, and its origins must date back to the XII century. Ten years after in Piemonte Region and other Italian Regions began the premonitory signs of 1848 Italian‘s Revolution. Two Triora’s infantry officers, brothers Giovanni Battista and Luca Dho, took over with Piedmontese Army to the first war of independence in 1848-49.

In 1850 the Sisters "Figlie di Maria Santissima dell’Orto", leading by Caterina Podestà, came to Triora and they funded a house inside the old Hospital, and then they get the manageress of Congregazione di Carità.

The Triora’ s Hospital was already operating in that building since few centuries ago. In the 1854-58 the major Giovanni Battista Dho, was leading a battalion during Crimea’s War and many young Triora’ s soldiers died.

In 1856 Triora’ s population was scourged by a terrible Asian epidemic cholera, and there is a big wooden cross remembering that tragic episode in the Poggio delle Pie. Three years later many Triora’ s soldiers fought at Italian Second War of Independence, and some of those soldiers died in Palestro and others in San Martino della Battaglia.

On March 1860, Triora was annexed to brand new district of Porto Maurizio, starting from Cervo to Ventimiglia including its hinterland. Triora and the rest of Liguria Region were annexed to the Italy on the 17^th March 1861 when it was proclaimed the Kingdom.

In the same year the parish priest Francesco Garibaldi founded a company "Compagnia dei giovani luigini", whom the patron saint was Saint Luigi Gonzaga. In 1865 it was deserted the old churchyard adjoining the church of Saints Pietro and Marziano in Piazza d’Armi, and there was a new cemetery in the old fortress of Republic of Genoa, called Fortino.

In 1868 a new municipal hospital was inaugurated, and about 1870 Triora was damaged by black smallpox.

In 1871 began the works of carriage road, leading from Taggia to Triora, and after seven years the old church of Saints Pietro and Marziano was pull down and it was created a large square called Piazza d’Armi.

In 1879 the engineer Mr. Pisani proposed a project to build the Triora train station, and the same year that project was launched for the railway junction: Cuneo-Ventimiglia, including the high Argentina Valley area.

On the 4^th of October 1879 an incredible typhoon devastated all the village of Triora, and many houses lost its roof due to the strong wind and some cultivated land slide away from the hillside of Santa Caterina, Curugalla and Cerèixe regions. The terrible earthquake in 1887 has struck all the western Liguria and Triora as well, it destroyed many houses but nobody died. Three years later the parish priest Giuseppe Giauni erected an orphanage and a little seminary.

In the same year the Government gave to the Council the new building to set up the new Town Hall, due to the earthquake. In 1905 that building was bought by Mrs Maria Capponi and it became an hotel, called Hotel Triora. After a second leadership by Giovanni Battista Oddo, in 1937 the Government bought again that building and it transformed in barracks, called Cima di Marta.

On the July 1944 the building was destroyed by fire, and it rebuilt by the Government among the 1949-1951, and the Council established the new Primary School.

In 1892 the Council of Triora was obliged to give way to the building firm Rossat the four woods of Ceppo, Tenarda, Gerbònte and Foresto, all those lands were one of the mainly riches of village. That building firm manufactured the road from Taggia to Triora.

In 1893 after a proposal by the General Giuseppe De Sonnaz, the Ministry of War settled to start up the construction of military road from Rezzo to Pigna, crossing Triora’ s Valley from Pizzo hill to Langan pass, mount Marta, mount Collardente and mount Saccarello; the same road was enlarged and reinforced between the 1930-35.

In 1896 some Triora’ s soldiers, back from Eritrea’ s campaign, erected an holy votive niche dedicated to Saint Giovanni Battista, co-patron of Triora, along the Spianate promenade.

In 1898 the Council of Triora to get celebrate the valuable black marble quality of Foresto’ s wood near Loreto, it carried out the construction of a special black marble slab with the Triora’ s coat of arms and sent it to Turin International Exhibition.

On the 8^th of September took place the formal unveiling of the Redeemer monument, it is high 6 metres, on the top of Mount Saccarello.

In 1906 was opened the carriageway from the village of Molini to Triora, and then there was a road project linking the village of Triora to Briga, but it was not realized.

In 1915 the village of Triora was officially declared "climatic resort of summer stay". In the same year was built an electric power station on the left riverside of Argentina’ s stream nearby the village of Loreto.

Among the month of May 1915 and November 1918 many Triora’ s soldiers participated to military operations of the First World War broke out in 1914. At the end of war 54 Triora’ s soldiers died.

On the 22^nd of August 1920 was unveiled in Triora the war memorial to Triora’ s fallen, in the square dedicated to Princess Elena.

On March 1923 it was closed the magistrate’s courthouse down of Triora.

In 1926, it was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Redeemer monument erection, and it was opened a brand new shelter-chapel.

In 1929 it was opened a new seat of Ferraironi Library. In 1934 it was withdrawn the alpine troops company stationed in Triora since 1878.

Three years later, in 1937, the infantry company stationed in Triora since the month of September 1934 was replaced by detachments of Guard of Borderline (GAF), they took possession the Cima Marta barracks, the Fortress of Marta, and the small barracks of hill Belenda and coast Melosa.

On the 10^th of June 1940 Italy declared war to France and Triora, nearby the military border, was evacuated. All the inhabitants left the village, and they gone to Piedmont and Lombardy Regions.

On April 1943 was opened the big barracks (with four floors), called by Triora’ population "ugly barracks", it was named after lieutenant-colonel Giuseppe Tamagni, and in it was stationed a detachment of Guard of Borderline (GAF).

The fall of Fascism, it happened on the 25^th of April 1943, it didn’t make any difference to Triora’ s population, but they were shaken by armistice with Anglo-American Troops on the 8^th of September.

On the 9^th and 10^th of September the inhabitants of Triora took advantage of the opportunity of Guard of Borderline’ s escape, and they sackedeverything in the big barracks. On the 13^th of October they sacked the barracks "Saccarello" and "Cima di Marta" as well.

On the 22^nd of October the German lieutenant Halber arrived in Triora, and the day after the German captain Edgard captured Eugenio Danovaro, the former captain of Guard of Borderline Company stationed in Triora.

Like in many villages of Argentina Valley, in Triora and its neighbourhood from the end of 1943 started to operate a lot of armed band of Partisans. Many times the Partisans sacked the Triora’ s shops, Cetta, Creppo and Verdeggia, and the Carabinieri’ s barracks. The Partisan bands usually sacked the village during the night and they took supplies off.

On the 20^th of June the German Troops pointed at Triora village with three armed lorries by way of reprisal against the Partisans.

On the 30^th of June the Partisans placed some guns in the square Princess Elena and they started to shoot against German troops stationed on the Mount Ceppo.

On the 3^rd of July a German storming column of soldiers marching on the village of Triora, the inhabitants of Triora evacuated their houses and gone to the countries.

In the afternoon, a German column of four hundred soldiers, coming from the village of Pigna, entered in Triora, in the meantime other six hundred German soldiers did reconnoitre the village of Andagna and Molini.

The following days the German Troops decided to set fire to many houses and a lot of people died burnt alive. The village of Triora was razed by the German bombs. The Town-hall, the civic hospital, the Carabinieri’ s barracks, all the noble houses were destroyed by the German cruelty.

At the end three of this terrible raid three Triora’ s quarters were damaged or destroyed: Poggio, Cima e Carriera, meanwhile thr other three were saved: Castello, Camurata and Sambughea.

The disaster caused the total or partial destruction of seventy houses, and fifty-two families were homeless. The Podestà Pesce helped the damaged people with some benefits for them.

On the 18^th of November the German troops left the village of Triora, in the meantime, the Anglo-Americans airforce dropped bombs near the Capriolo stream.

It was about the end of April 1945 when it started the German retreat, with guns and baggage of armies came downhill between the Stormina’ s chestnut woods.

When the Second World War finished, the Italian Government during 1946-47 decided to re-build two apartment buildings to put war victims up.

The Town Hall was transferred to the former ‘Hotel Triora’, where it is at the moment. On the 10^th February 1947 in Paris was subscribed the peace treaty between Italy and France, and it was described the brand new borderline along the Alpes.

The Council of Triora, with the new borderline, lost the summits of Mount Saccarello, of Mount Marta, of Mount Sanson and Mount Collardente, all these gone to the France’ s territory, whilst Triora’ s territory incorporated the fraction of Realdo, this last one was of Briga’s Region. Realdo’ s Community did not accept that decision, and for the following years the relationship with Triora were very badly.

In 1948 it was elected the new major of Triora Mr. Luigi Lantrua, until 1980. In 1950 it was celebrated the first centenary of Orto’ s Sisters arrival in Triora.

In 1950 it began the public works to re-built all the damaged houses by German troops during last World War, and made by the firm Verna from Vinadio.

In 1954-55 was built the road from to Triora to Loreto, made by the firm Siniscalchi from Rome. The road will continue until the village of Creppo, and then until to Castel del Pino in 1958 and at the end up to Verdeggia and Realdo during the Sixties.

In 1959 it started the works to build up the Tenarda’ s dam, and it was finished in 1963.

In the same year it was built the Loreto’ s bridge up, 120 metres high, made by the firm of Rosario and Piero Siniscalchi from Rome.

Two years after it was ended the road up linking Loreto to the village of Cetta, made by the firms Siniscalchi from Rome and Damonte from Alassio.

On the 14^th of November 1963 the Carabinieri’ s battalion arrived from Genoa, formed by 100 soldiers, and they found lodgings to the Tamagni’ s barracks.

Between 1966 and 1972 the fraction of Monesi decided to build up three ski lifts, a chair lift, a skating ring, a swimming-pool, and some tourist facilities, and blocks of flats.

On the 11^th of August 1974 it was inaugurated the Route de l’Amitié (Friendship Route), in the presence of Majors Lantrua and Merquiol,

The carriage road linking Realdo with the French village of La Brigue.

In the same year it was established the Tourist Association ‘Pro Triora’, for Triora’ s Community benefit.

In 1980 it was elected the new Major Mr. Luigi Capponi, in 1983 it was opened the Ethnographic and Witchcraft Museum.

In 1992 it was elected the new Major the professor Mr. Antonio Lanteri of Realdo, whom re-elected in 1995, working really hard to expand the Triora’ s Council and Community challenges.

And in fact just in the tourism, on the threshold of 2000, Triora points at its attention to improve with a massive advertising campaign.