Capo di Muro and the Madonuccia

From this observation setting, the eye looses its focus, from the gulf slashed with little coves, to the noble, slender peaks of the Rotondo massif, inviting to some skiing sessions during the winter.

Ajagged Cap, pointing out to the sea. Capo di Muro is a pathway to the peaks and the old stones, that closes the gulf of Ajaccio in the south part. Culminating at a height of 170 meters altitude, its hilly slopes are covered with a dense and luxurious maquis that throws itself straight into the sea. On the north face, a genoese tower overcomes the peninsula. It was built at the end of the 16th century, and is garnished of slits on the top. Nicely restored, this defensive construction, open to visits, is a witness of the life of the torregiani, guardians of the towers and defenders of Corsica.

The towers are built on a standard model : the basement is a water cistern, the 1rst floor is a room equipped with a fireplace and an oven, and from the summit terrace the horizon is watched out. From this observation setting, the eye looses its focus, from the gulf slashed with little coves, to the noble, slender peaks of the Rotondo massif, inviting to some skiing sessions during the winter. Previously owned by a family that rented the land, Capo di Muro was an attic, where cereals were cultivated as well as cattle kept. At the extreme south, inviting to some escape, the little chapel of the Madonuccia is located, between a granit chaos and the opening towards the gulf of Valinco. A refined architecture, made of three walls and a roof covering the statue of the Virgin. On Easter Monday, the inhabitants of Coti-Chiavari make a pilgrimage to celebrate Our Lady of Mercy. Patron Saint of the city of Ajaccio, she might have helped the inhabitants against a plague epidemic in the 17th century.

Text & Photos : Sébastien Leroy