The A Piana plain, also known as E Piane, lies in Castifao at an average elevation of around 300 metres. The Tartagine reaches Castifao and forms broad meanders in its lower course. This creates two contrasting features in the landscape: the plain and the winding river. The history of the area can also be read in its buildings and old paths.
Landscape and historic paths
The paths through Castifao were used by shepherds from Niolu and Ascu during transhumance: they followed them on their way to the Agriates or the northern part of Balagne. Another historic route is the path that descends from the Couvent San Francesco di Caccia to A Piana. These routes tell of journeys through the landscape in earlier times and are a distinct part of the area’s history.
To reach Castifao, take the D547 through the lower Tartagine Valley. To do so, leave the D963 at Bocca Capana. Another way to take in the surrounding area is the San-Colombano loop: it can be travelled by car, bicycle or motorcycle and offers views of northern Balagne, the sea and the Agriates Desert. As road and viewpoint conditions can change, check them before setting out.
Medieval traces and buildings
Medieval features of the village layout are visible in Castifao. These include defensive towers, the bases of former towers, and buildings set into the rock, some of which lie almost underground. The Torra di a Paganosa stands on a narrow rocky outcrop at just under 600 metres above sea level. In its present form, it is a square tower with three storeys.
The Pont génois sur le Tartagine near A Piana is another notable historic structure. Built in 1498, it is a single-arch bridge with a humped profile, modelled on Genoese bridges. Its construction date, single arch and distinctive shape give the bridge a clear architectural character.
The buildings of the Ancien couvent de Caccia were arranged in a U-shape around a square courtyard, with the church forming its fourth side. The church, built in 1730, was never completed. A decree dated 28 May 1979 designated it a historic monument. Its architecture and construction history can be considered together: the convent’s planned layout and the unfinished religious building belong to the same complex.
Churches and cultural history
San Nicolau stands in the heart of the village of Castifao. Over the centuries, the church developed from an older place of worship, probably Romanesque. Southeast of the municipality, the Chapelle Saint-Augustin, also known as Sant’Agostino, stands at an altitude of 660 metres. It dates from the High Middle Ages. In its choir, a barrel vault with lunettes still attests to a distinctive architectural design.
The Couvent San Francesco di Caccia lies in Castifao, opposite the neighbouring village of Moltifao, and connects the two neighbouring municipalities. Its Baroque church is associated with the year 1510. In April 1756, the Cunsulta met in the sacristy. Those interested in Corsican political history will find here a specific historical event associated with the site, alongside its religious architectural history.
The history of the area and its landscape can be explored from different perspectives: through the river and plain, the village’s medieval structures, and its churches, convent and historic paths. When planning your visit, you can focus on the buildings and their history, or on the landscape and the historic routes connecting the settlements.
Discover more destinations: Feliceto, Ventiseri, Ghisoni, Santa-Lucia-di-Mercurio, Ville-di-Pietrabugno, Bigorno, Morsiglia, Isolaccio-Di-Fiumorbo
For the broader travel overview: Haute-Corse.
