Bastia

Bastia stands at the foot of Cap Corse on the island's rugged northeastern coast. It grew around a Genoese fortress above the harbour of Porto Cardo, taking its name from the bastiglia, or stronghold. The citadel was surrounded by walls and became the residence of Genoese governors, and Bastia developed into the principal seat of their rule in Corsica.

The Genoese governor Leonello Lomellini built the stronghold to maintain communications by sea during struggles with the island's lords. In the eighteenth century the town's Punta district gained new shops as the port town continued to grow. French forces took control of Corsica in 1769. During the war with revolutionary France, British forces under Admiral Nelson and General Dundas captured Bastia in 1794.