murzo - murzu

A small mountain village, ideal for a stroll through its old granite houses and stone staircases that lead to the Maison du Miel. This small interpretation centre/museum, unique in Corsica and created in coordination between the commune and the Corsican Regional Natural Park, plunges the visitor into the world of the Corsican bee, the profession of beekeeper and melliferous plants. It is completed by an interpretation path of botanical interest on the local fauna and flora. A family walk par excellence, it is accessible to all.
The neoclassical church of San Lorenzo was built with stones from the old Romanesque church. Next to it, the cemetery has some majestic family tombs.
There is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary at the Sorru Pass. In the past, long processions of pilgrims used to walk up to the chapel to implore the graces of the Virgin Mary. Today, the fervour is not as intense, but every 8th of September, the locals continue to honour Our Lady of Lavasina.
The small hamlets of Muna, perched on the mountain of Sposata (the bride), and the hamlet of Muricce, below the road, are two nuggets to visit.
The origins of the village go back to the Middle Ages. In 1485, devastated by the Genoese repression of the Da Leca lords, the castle of Zirlina (1488), built by Giavan Paolo da Leca, implanted on a rocky outcrop dominating the path linking Murzo to the Libbiu forest, was demolished by Genoa after the defeat of the Cinarchese lord. Today, only ruins remain. The village was razed to the ground during one of the wars of the medieval period.

A little history:
At the exit of the village, you can see the rock of the Sposata, the bride, which takes its name from an ancient legend.
The young and beautiful Maria, of modest origin, attracted the attention of a lord who asked for her hand in marriage. On her wedding day, she took all her possessions with her, leaving nothing for her mother. On the way to the castle she realised that she had forgotten a scraper, and set out to find it again, although her husband assured her that she would not need it. Maria, however, sent one of her servants to fetch it. Her mother was seized with a terrible anger, and cursed her daughter "with a heart of stone". At the same time, thunder was heard, and the lord found his wife turned to stone, with her horse. The rock, balanced, dominates the village.