The town's name seems to derive from the name of the horse of Rinaldo. It is a mountain village in the province of Imperia, perched on a mountain in the Alps Maritimes in the Valley of Nervia, from where it is possible to admire a splendid view of the Ligurian coast and French Alps. The local economy is dedicated to the cultivation of flowers, olive trees and vineyards, and has recently opened its doors to tourism. Enjoyable trips to the Alpine peaks of del Ceppo and Mount Bignone, between the neighboring villages Apricale and Ceriana. The urban structure is partly circular, partly linear with tall stone houses, that connect to each other by arches between the narrow alleys.
The center was founded in the first millennium B.C. and the presence of some stone obelisks evidence that it was a place of worship for the Celts, a civilization that lived here for a long time with the Ligurian. It was inhabited by Greeks and Iberians and in the third century B.C. by the Romans who turned the town into a fortress. From the mid XIII century it became the part of the dominion of the Marquis of Clavesana until it ceded to the Republic of Genoa. In early 1800 it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1887 it was affected by an earthquake which caused many victims, in addition to heavy damage. During the Second World War the town was a stronghold of the resistance and theatre of an important battle.
Not to miss:
The Parish Church built in 1893 after the earthquake that destroyed the previous building. It preserves inside an altarpiece of 1400, artwork of the painter Francesco Verz.
The ruins of the ancient church of St. Nicholas, which was built on the highest terrace of the town, on the ruins of a temple dedicated to the god Abellio. It was destroyed by the earthquake of 1887. The only remains are the capitals of the porch.
The ruins of the ancient medieval castle, with Roman columns and rosette stones of the Celt period.
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption, built in the XV century by the Doria Family in the village of Berzi.
The Oratory of San Salvatore where it is possible to admire the altarpiece of the Transfiguration by Emanuele Maccari and dating back to 1550.
The Civic Art Gallery which preserves an important collection of valuable paintings, including works by Antonio Rubino, originally of Baiardo.