Gorbio, a village in the Alpes-Maritimes, authentic and perched on a rocky spur, possesses an undeniable charm emanating from its rich heritage. This heritage includes, among other things, the elm tree planted in 1713 and classified as a Remarkable Tree in 2003, the ruins of the Lascaris castle, the old presbytery, the castle of the counts of Malaussene, the chapel of the white penitents, and the Saint-Barthélemy parish church.
The last two buildings have been the subject of fundraising campaigns launched with the support of the Alpes-Maritimes Heritage Foundation. Celebrated successes, the town of Gorbio thus reiterates its collaboration with the Foundation. It is the third time in 8 years that Gorbio has called upon popular and corporate sponsorship. And in 2018, what a project!
The fundraising campaign launched will allow for the restoration of the Saint-Lazare chapel. In the Alpes-Maritimes, only three chapels built between the 11th and 15th centuries are dedicated to Saint Lazare: in Tende, in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, and in Gorbio! The preservation of this building is therefore crucial.
The old legend suggests that a leper came to die at the site where the chapel was decided to be built. Its origins go back to the medieval period; the interior cornices in stucco were added in the 17th century.
Urgent consolidation work is necessary because the walls of the building are at risk of collapse and the structure is splitting in the Southeast-Northwest direction.
At the end of this work, a permanent exhibition will be installed there with the theme of Lazarus and the lepers in the medieval period. The objective is to bring the chapel to life throughout the year.
