Bastia

Bastia bästēˈä [key], city, Haute-Corse dept., NE Corsica, France, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the island's largest city and chief commercial center. Famous for its wines, it has a thriving export industry and a variety of light manufactures. Founded (14th cent.) as a fort by the Genoese, it was the capital of Corsica until 1791. Its citadel (16th–17th cent.) and its many 18th-century buildings are tourist attractions.

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