Ajaccio

Region : AJACCIO – THE IMPERIAL CITY

Ajaccio – The Imperial City is the main town of southern Corsica, and is situated in the south west of Corsica. It is the administrative centre of the 2A South Corsica french department, the town is located into the Gulf of Ajaccio which is delimited by the Gulf of Sagone in the north and the Gulf of Valinco in the south.  

A FEW NUMBERS ABOUT AJACCIO

Total Population : 73 822 (FNISES 2021 Sources) Surface Area : 82,03 km²  

TRANSPORT IN AJACCIO

Ajaccio has an international airport, siege of the Air Corsica Airline Company and linking up Ajaccio to many towns of France and of Europe. The port of Ajaccio serves the towns of Marseille, Toulon and Nice as well as Porto Torres.  

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AJACCIO

The town of Ajaccio was founded in 1492, in 1553 it is seized by the French and the construction of the citadel begins. The King of France gives Corsica back to Genoa in 1559. In 1729, during the Forty Years War, Pascal Paoli gives the «Royaume de Corse» democratic institutions. In 1768 the French seize Corsica. The island becomes part of France and its history has been closely tied to this country ever since. The town begins to expand in 1801 and the walls of Ajaccio are knocked down.  

ANCIENT MONUMENTS TO DISCOVER IN AJACCIO

The municipal library, on the ground floor of the left wing of the Palais Fesch (Fesch Palace). – The Art Museum of Ajaccio in the Palais Fesch has an art collection covering the 14th to the beginning of the 20th century. – The “Salon napoléonien” in the town hall, in the Restoration style of the early 19th century. – The Imperial Chapel, classified as a historic monument, constitutes the right wing of the Palais Fesch. It was consecrated on September 9, 1860. – The “ Musée National de la Maison Bonaparte”, where Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in the centre of the old town. – The “A Bandera” Museum of Corsican and Mediterranean history in the heart of the city. – The Museum “Marc Petit” (a contemporary sculptor) is located in the LAZARET OLLANDINI at the entrance to Ajaccio.  

SPECIFICITIES OF IMPERIAL CITY OF AJACCIO

Ajaccio, known as the “Cité Impériale”, is the town of Napoleon. You can go to the old town where you can see Napoleon’s birth house as well as Josephine’s gardens (Napoleon’s wife).  

Also to discover :

– Madonuccia Statue – The chapel of “Notre dame de la Miséricorde”, the patron saint of the town, who is said to have saved Ajaccio from the plague in 1656. – The Citadel of Ajaccio – Pointe de la Parata – Sanguinaires Islands. On the Heights of Ajaccio, you will catch sight of the Punta Castle. The Gulf of Ajaccio is an ideal place to visit Corsica round, it is “the centre of Corsica”, about 3 hours from Bastia, «the northernmost point» and about 3 hours from Bonifacio «the southern most point».

The most beautiful accommodations in this region