Salina di Cervia

Cervia: the city of salt

Today is Cervia, once was Ficocle. Possibly founded by Greek colonists, when his name appears for the first time in historical documents - at the end of the fifth century - is already town of some importance, as a bishopric. Situated between Ravenna, Rimini and Cesena, develops considerably in the Byzantine period as a result of political and religious struggle between the church of Rome, to which belonged Ficocle, and Ravenna.

According to tradition, the village of Ficocle stood in the middle of the salt, in what is now the archaeological area of Prato della Rosa. And it is the beginning of the processing of salt (dating VIII - IX century) to make this small town featured in numerous historical events. In ancient times, when the salt was almost the only method of food preservation, its commercial importance and its value were huge, the city prospered when the harvest was plentiful and struggled when vintages were bad.

Over the centuries, the city of Cervia was well covered by the greed of those who disputed the possession and control of its Saline. Subsequently appears in a papal letter of 997 the expression "ad locum here dicitur Cervia" (in that place is called ... Cervia). From this moment disappear traces of the Ficocle and begins the story of Cervia.

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