Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Aida

Ajaccio was a seat of a diocese, mentioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 591. Excavations proved the existence of a baptistry and a cathedral from the 6th century, but not much is known about the early medieval times. The settlement did not prosper and shrunk down until the Genoese, eager to assert their dominance in the south of the island, decided to refound and rebuild the city of Ajaccio in 1492. Although at first populated exclusively by the Genoese, the city slowly opened to the Corsicans. Ajaccio was occupied from 1553 to 1559 by the French but fell again to the Genoese later. Genoa was strong enough to keep Corsica until 1755, the year Pasquale Paoli proclaimed the Corsican Republic. Paoli took most of the island for the republic but he was unable to force Genoese troops out of the citadels at the coast, Ajaccio was one of them. French troops entered Corsica in 1768 and in 1780 the island was was formally annexed to France in 1780. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio (as Nabulione Buonaparte) in 1769. His father had been the secretary to Pasquale Paoli during the Corsican Republic. His father was offered an appointment for his son to the Military College of Brienne, but the child had to be under 10. This is where the dispute about Napoleon´s age starts, as the records at Ajaccio have been altered and it may well be, that Napoleon was born in Corte in 1768. Anyway, he went to Brienne from 1779–1784 and started his career. Today Ajaccio is a main tourist spot on the island and unfortunately, a huge cruise ship had arrived that day. I know that I am a tourist too, but I really feel uncomfortable surrounded by thousands of others, who are in a hurry, as the ship only anchors for a few hours. So I went to the hotel very early - and enjoyed the marvellous view from the roof. At sunset the huge cruise-ship left the harbour.

Ajaccio was a seat of a diocese, mentioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 591. Excavations proved the existence of a baptistry and a cathedral from the 6th century, but not much is known about the early medieval times. The settlement did not prosper and shrunk down until the Genoese, eager to assert their dominance in the south of the island, decided to refound and rebuild the city of Ajaccio in 1492. Although at first populated exclusively by the Genoese, the city slowly opened to the Corsicans. Ajaccio was occupied from 1553 to 1559 by the French but fell again to the Genoese later. Genoa was strong enough to keep Corsica until 1755, the year Pasquale Paoli proclaimed the Corsican Republic. Paoli took most of the island for the republic but he was unable to force Genoese troops out of the citadels at the coast, Ajaccio was one of them. French troops entered Corsica in 1768 and in 1780 the island was was formally annexed to France in 1780. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio (as Nabulione Buonaparte) in 1769. His father had been the secretary to Pasquale Paoli during the Corsican Republic. His father was offered an appointment for his son to the Military College of Brienne, but the child had to be under 10. This is where the dispute about Napoleon´s age starts, as the records at Ajaccio have been altered and it may well be, that Napoleon was born in Corte in 1768. Anyway, he went to Brienne from 1779–1784 and started his career. The cathedral was built between 1577 and 1593 replacing the former Cathedral of Saint-Croix, destroyed in 1553 in order to make room for developments in the city's defences. It is where Napoleon Bonaparte was baptised on 21 July 1771. According to local legend, on 15 August 1769, Letizia Buonaparte felt sudden labour pains while in the cathedral. She rushed home to the Buonaparte's home and gave birth to Napoleon on a first floor before she could reach her bedroom upstairs. This may be right, or Napoleon was born in Corte...

Ajaccio was a seat of a diocese, mentioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 591. Excavations proved the existence of a baptistry and a cathedral from the 6th century, but not much is known about the early medieval times. The settlement did not prosper and shrunk down until the Genoese, eager to assert their dominance in the south of the island, decided to refound and rebuild the city of Ajaccio in 1492. Although at first populated exclusively by the Genoese, the city slowly opened to the Corsicans. Ajaccio was occupied from 1553 to 1559 by the French but fell again to the Genoese later. Genoa was strong enough to keep Corsica until 1755, the year Pasquale Paoli proclaimed the Corsican Republic. Paoli took most of the island for the republic but he was unable to force Genoese troops out of the citadels at the coast, Ajaccio was one of them. French troops entered Corsica in 1768 and in 1780 the island was was formally annexed to France in 1780. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio (as Nabulione Buonaparte) in 1769. His father had been the secretary to Pasquale Paoli during the Corsican Republic. His father was offered an appointment for his son to the Military College of Brienne, but the child had to be under 10. This is where the dispute about Napoleon´s age starts, as the records at Ajaccio have been altered and it may well be, that Napoleon was born in Corte in 1768. Anyway, he went to Brienne from 1779–1784 and started his career. Today Ajaccio is a main tourist spot on the island and unfortunately, a huge cruise ship had arrived. I know that I am a tourist too, but I really feel uncomfortable surrounded by thousands of others, who are in a hurry, as the ship only anchors for a few hours. The cathedral was built between 1577 and 1593 replacing the former Cathedral of Saint-Croix, destroyed in 1553 in order to make room for developments in the city's defences. It is where Napoleon Bonaparte was baptised on 21 July 1771. According to local legend, on 15 August 1769, Letizia Buonaparte felt sudden labour pains while in the cathedral. She rushed home to the Buonaparte's home and gave birth to Napoleon on a first floor before she could reach her bedroom upstairs. This may be right, or Napoleon was born in Corte...

Ajaccio was a seat of a diocese, mentioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 591. Excavations proved the existence of a baptistry and a cathedral from the 6th century, but not much is known about the early medieval times. The settlement did not prosper and shrunk down until the Genoese, eager to assert their dominance in the south of the island, decided to refound and rebuild the city of Ajaccio in 1492. Although at first populated exclusively by the Genoese, the city slowly opened to the Corsicans. Ajaccio was occupied from 1553 to 1559 by the French but fell again to the Genoese later. Genoa was strong enough to keep Corsica until 1755, the year Pasquale Paoli proclaimed the Corsican Republic. Paoli took most of the island for the republic but he was unable to force Genoese troops out of the citadels at the coast, Ajaccio was one of them. French troops entered Corsica in 1768 and in 1780 the island was was formally annexed to France in 1780. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio (as Nabulione Buonaparte) in 1769. His father had been the secretary to Pasquale Paoli during the Corsican Republic. His father was offered an appointment for his son to the Military College of Brienne, but the child had to be under 10. This is where the dispute about Napoleon´s age starts, as the records at Ajaccio have been altered and it may well be, that Napoleon was born in Corte in 1768. Anyway, he went to Brienne from 1779–1784 and started his career. Today Ajaccio is a main tourist spot on the island and unfortunately, a huge cruise ship had arrived. I know that I am a tourist too, but I really feel uncomfortable surrounded by thousands of others, who are in a hurry, as the ship only anchors for a few hours.

The "Arena di Verona" was erected within the 1. century and is the third largest still existing Roman amphitheatre of the world. It is still in use today and pretty famous for the large-scale opera performances given here during the summer months. In Roman times the arena housed 30.000 people, today the maximum attendance is cut down to 15.000 people. In March the piazza was the meeting place for a group of Venezuelans, protesting against the politics of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela´s president since 2013. During the summer months, you can hear and see this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EBgvyZ4oOs