Albenga

The name of Albenga comes from the Latin Albíngaunum that comes from Album Ingaunum, that is means the capital city + genitive plural in -um. The ethnonym Ingauni ing consists of Indo-European origin, and a name of Gaulish-ligurian land. Album comes from alb o alp an ancient pre-Indo-European (rock, hill), often erroneously assocciata to "album" a Latin word meaning white or clear. The first name was Album Ingaunum, but when it was conquered by the Romans, the name became Albingaunum; after the Roman Empire the name became Albinauno and near the 1000 became Albingano. Only in the 14th century did the name become Albenga.

The climate is mild along the coast, with mild winters and both hot and cold summers, rarely mitigated by the sea breeze. The inner part of the plain has more continental characteristics, which create a greater temperature range, with harsher winters and summers.

Built on the basic structures of the early Christian basilica put up by orders of Constantius III between the 4th and 5th century, it has a façade with traces of the transformation from Romanesque to Gothic. From this same period are the two lateral portals of the main facade and a third one the left side of the church, that hosts a restored Lombard bas-relief; the central portal dates from 1669.

The current design is the result of further elevations. The restoration works between 1964 and 1967 brought back the cathedral design to its original medieval aspect. The nearby steeple was attached to the church in the 13th century, built over the ruins of the old bell tower between the years 1391 and 1395. This construction is one of the last local examples of the use of bare bricks, progressively replaced by plastering.

The Baptistery of Albenga.

The baptistery is located to the side of the Cathedral, as it was typical of the early Christian structures, and can be visited from the Loggia of the old City Hall Palace. It has an octagonal interior dating to the 5th century. The current appearance dates from a late 19th-century restoration work, carried on by Alfredo D'Andrade. During those works, the original basin vaulted roof, built with the Byzantine-Ravennate technique of the "tubi fittili" (terracotta tubes), was completely destroyed. The mosaic decorations of the vault of the presbytery go back to the 5th and 6th centuries.

Dating back to the early 14th century, it has undergone several renovations over the years before receiving its present appearance.

It housed the Council Hall (the big bell still calls the citizens when the council committee meets in the new town hall) and the jail. The lower floor dates from the 14th century, while the upper one was reconstructed in 1387–1391. The façade towards the baptistery has Ghibelline-style merlons with two large staircases. Since 1933, it houses the Ingauni Museum. The latter, established in 1933 by Nino Lamboglia, collects objects and medieval Roman (sculptures, inscriptions, sarcophagi and 15th-century frescoes), archaeological and epigraphic collections.

Located near the baptistery, it dates from the 11th century, with a 13th-century portal. It is the seat of the local bishop and houses the Holy Art Museum. The wing leading to the baptistery show several construction phases from the 13th and 14th centuries. The decoration with black and white stripes was added in 1463 under bishop Napoleone Fieschi. The heraldic fresco is by Giovanni Canavesio (1477).

The Diocesan Museum of Albenga occupies a series of rooms decorated with frescoes, it houses works of art and findings from the excavation of the cathedral. Among the paintings stand out a St. John attributed to Caravaggio and The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine by Guido Reni.

Restructured by Emperor Augustus in 13 BC, the Via Julia Augusta was the most important communication link in the Riviera up until the construction of the Napoleonic road closer to the sea, the current site of the Via Aurelia. Its path, with plenty of Roman buildings destined to funerary celebrations, makes an archaeological walk beautiful also from a panoramic an naturalistic point of view.

Albenga is also home to the remains of a Roman amphitheatre dating from the 3rd century BC. It represents the only example of theatrical construction known on the entire Western Riviera. Placed a short distance away from the Amphitheatre and from the Via Julia Augusta, is the so-called Pilone, standing over the eastern slope of the Mount. This is the most renowned and characteristic Ingaunian funeral monument.

Also in the mount area is the Palaeo-Christian Basilica of S. Calocero (4th–5th century). It was built on the latter martyr's tomb.

Other sights include:

• South of the historical center is an archaeological area discovered during the excavations for the enlargement of the riverbed between 2001 and 2002. Here, by the river, were found the ruins of the old thermal system and those of the early Christian complex with medieval San Clemente Church.
• Pontelungo ("Long Bridge"), the only documented medieval bridge (c. 13th century). The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Pontelungo (early 18th century) is located nearby.
• Palazzo Peloso Cepolla (16th century). It has a corner tower from the 13th century. The entrance hall houses a fresco depicting the Roman usurper Proculus, while the piano nobile has several Renaissance and Roman marble busts. It is home to Roman Naval Museum, established in 1950. It gathers more than a thousand Roman amphorae recovered from a ship in the 1st century BC, sank in the waters of Albenga. It was the first Roman cargo ship discovered and explored the bottom of the Tyrrhenian Sea. There is also a section of the caves of prehistoric materials from val Pennavaira.
• Torre Oddo, a tower with typical Ghibelline merlons
• The piazzetta dei Leoni ("Lions' Small Square"), located between the cathedral's apse and the Costa family medieval buildings. The latter brought the three Renaissance-style peperino lions from which the square takes its name in 1608.
• Museum of the Oil Civilization. Located in an old mill site owned by the family Sommariva, it is an ethnographic exhibition dedicated to the processing of olives, olive oil and wine.

To pass the Albenga Via Aurelia, which connects Rome with France. This road once passed through the city center alongside the old town of Albenga in years 1960 was built a variant of which exceeded the entire city that was liberated from the traffic of those who were obliged to pass through the town Albenga. This modern track has linked the two sides quickly Albenga divided by the river Centa. The city is the crossroads of main roads, built over the past centuries, which connect with the nearby Piedmont, as evidenced by names such as street to Piedmont.

There are 5 roads in the world that bear the name of ALBENGA: four are in North America and one in the Southern Hemisphere, it is Albenga Avenue Coral Gables, Florida; Albenga Road Northwest to Palm Bay, Florida; Southwest Albenga Avenue Port Saint Lucie, Florida; Albenga Lane in North Port, Florida and Albenga Place to Secret Harbor, Western Australia.

Albenga is accessible via the A10 Highway from its own. Since 1969 started the process of a project for a road that can unite the plain directly and quickly with its hinterland, with the Val Bormida, then the A6 Highway and the Piedmont, then go to England and connect with the A26 Highway, this project will form the Highway Predosa-Albenga, in 2010 has been kicked off for the final design.

Albenga has its own railway station, located on the line Genoa-Ventimiglia. The station was opened in 1872, but the current passenger building, designed by Roberto Narducci, dates back to 1930.

The existing railway line, for long stretches of single track, will be replaced by a new double track line, located further upstream, the new project includes a large station in the village of Bastia.

In the nearby town of Villanova d'Albenga is the Airport International "C. Panero", which opened in 1922. In this space there is also the barracks of the 15 º Helicopters core of Carabinieri.