Menu :

Histoire

Personnages

Nature

Itinéraires par région

This large house dates back to the end of the 17th century or the beginning of the18th century. It was used as the Consulate General of the Papal states in Corsica throughout much of the 19th century.

This house, dating back to the late 17th, or early 18th century, was built by the wealthy family of Morati. Then it went to the De Gentiles, feudatories possessing different seigniories in the Cap corse. Very early in the 19h century, the house was acquired by the Lotas who at that time passed as the wealthiest family in Bastia. It has been rumoured that their huge and sudden fortune was originally due to the discovery of a treasure. The attendants of Sir Gilbert Elliot, viceroy of Corsica from 1794 to 1796, having been compelled to evacuate Bastia in a hurry, are supposed to have forgotten many barrels full of gold coins in a warehouse belonging to the Lotas who were then just merchants. So, within a few years, the members of that family became the largest land owners in Bastia. Two of them became mayors of Bastia: Antoine-Hyacinthe Lota (mayor from 1828 to 1831), and his nephew François (mayor from 1851 to 1854). Those two personalities were also Consuls of the Pope. So that their house was the seat of the Consulate General of the Pontifical States in Corsica, for a great part of the 19th century. The Lotas sumptuously arranged and furnished their house. They had the façade renovated and embellished it with a polychrome decoration. The portal in a Doric style is inspired by classical antiquity.

Bastia

GRITACCESS:

Contact :