Chiavari (; ) is a seaside town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the region of Liguria in Italy.
It has a beachside promenade and a marina and is situated near the river Entella.
History
Pre-Roman and Roman Era
A pre-Roman necropolis, which dates from the 8th to 7th century BC, has been uncovered in the area where Chiavari is located now.
[ An advanced civilization and a cosmological city could be present at the time of the necropolis.]
Chiavari grew up on the traces of a Roman camp on the
Via Aurelia.
Medieval Era
A
Chiavari Castle was constructed in 1147.
[ The old town contains numerous arcades and buildings from the 13th century, including a castle, several mansions, and the nearby Church of San Salvatore di Lavagna, which was founded in 1224 by Innocent IV.
]
The cathedral was rebuilt in 1613. Famous as a center of humanism, Chiavari has a public library with a collection of manuscripts and incunabula. After the discovery of the conspiracy of the Fieschi, in 1542, and the capture of Chiavari by the Counts of Lavagna, the town suffered greatly, being associated with the conspirators. Among its illustrious citizens were Luca Cantiano di Moneglia, founder of an art academy, and Giuseppe Gregorio Solari, translator of many Latin poets.
19th century
From 1805 to 1814, Chiavari served as the capital of the short-lived Apennins Departments of France of the First French Empire. Chiavari is the home of the Chiavari chair designed in 1807 by a local, Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi. The chair was a success and led to the opening of many factories in Chiavari and surrounding towns.
Chiavari railway station was opened in 1868; it provides an underground passageway between the town centre and the beachside promenades.
20th century
The Colonia Fara building was built in 1935 during the Fascist regime.
Climate
Demographics
As of 2025, Chiavari has a population of 27,442, of whom 46.4% are male and 53.6% are female. Minors make up 13.3% of the population, and seniors make up 30.3%, compared to the Italian average of 14.9% and 24.7% respectively.
Foreign population
As of 2024, the foreign-born population is 3,733, equal to 13.6% of the population. The 5 largest foreign nationalities are Albanians (768), Ecuadorians (351), Peruvians (322), Ukrainians (266) and Moroccans (200).+Foreign population by country of birth (2024) |
| | 768 |
| | 351 |
| | 322 |
| | 266 |
| | 200 |
| | 180 |
| | 165 |
| | 141 |
| | 117 |
| | 117 |
| | 90 |
| | 64 |
| | 60 |
| | 56 |
| | 51 |
Sports
In 2014, the local football team Virtus Entella were promoted to the Italian Serie B for the first time in their history. They were relegated back to the third tier in 2018.
Notable people
-
Esteban Campodónico
-
Nelson le Follet
External links
