Gene Krasko Photography
Sartène, Corsica
Known as the "most Corsican of Corsica's towns", Sartene is an ancient place steeped in the traditions of superstition and vendetta. Even today it retains a fascinatingly sombre atmosphere.
Set high on a hill, the perfectly preserved Old Town has high granite walls, tall townhouses, with steep steps to guard against unexpected attack, and a maze of narrow passageways.
With castle ruins dating from the beginning of the 13th century, Sartene was the home of the mighty Della Rocca family until defeated by the Genoese in the early 16th century.
The town was subject to various anti-Genoese sieges, including one by the King of Algiers in 1583 who abducted a third of the population into slavery. Internal vendettas were also rife throughout Sartene's history. In the 1830s, a bloody feud between two families led to windows being bricked up and guards patrolling the streets, resulting in Sartene's tall fortress-type houses.
Sartène, Corsica
Known as the "most Corsican of Corsica's towns", Sartene is an ancient place steeped in the traditions of superstition and vendetta. Even today it retains a fascinatingly sombre atmosphere.
Set high on a hill, the perfectly preserved Old Town has high granite walls, tall townhouses, with steep steps to guard against unexpected attack, and a maze of narrow passageways.
With castle ruins dating from the beginning of the 13th century, Sartene was the home of the mighty Della Rocca family until defeated by the Genoese in the early 16th century.
The town was subject to various anti-Genoese sieges, including one by the King of Algiers in 1583 who abducted a third of the population into slavery. Internal vendettas were also rife throughout Sartene's history. In the 1830s, a bloody feud between two families led to windows being bricked up and guards patrolling the streets, resulting in Sartene's tall fortress-type houses.