Barescione District

One resource more than any other has contributed to the prosperity of communities around the world for centuries: fresh water.In Toirano, the strenuous agricultural work traditionally carried out by its inhabitants was supported by the Varatella river and its tributary, the Barescione.  Over the centuries, the Barescione enabled the development of the district that bears its name, which dates back to as early as the 16th century near the cultivated fields and is today centred around Via Cavour. Olive groves, vineyards, orchards, vegetable gardens, and small citrus plots alternated with houses built of stone and lime, leaning against one another and arranged vertically. The preserved appearance of the Barescione district still offers a valuable glimpse into the ancient rural life of western Liguria.  The district is still characterised by its picturesque narrow street, or caruggiu, lined with portals finished in slate, brick, and stone arches, and paved with cobblestones from the 18th and 19th centuries. The street opens into the unique little square of S. Rocco, once the heart of the district. On summer evenings, locals would gather here, sitting on stone benches and slabs along the walls.  In the background you can see the Oratory of Saints Peter and Rocco, built in the early 17th century, with its simple design, painted effigies of the saints on the facade, and small bell gable. The frescoed sundial, which once served as the only public clock in the village, makes the square particularly picturesque. Continuing along the caruggio, or narrow street, you arrive at the covered portico of Ruggia, where the district’s fountain is located. Here, you can hear the sound of the water flowing into the rectangular basin.  Ever since the 16th century, this has been a place where people and animals returning from the fields would rest before heading to the cellars and stables for a well-deserved rest.