Priest and Benefactor 

Giuseppe Maria Morardo was born on 22nd August 1692.

His figure must be seen in the light of those times, when the civil community owed the tribute of tithes to the provost and to the canons of San Siro: it happened that the poor harvests of certain vintages made it possible to fulfil this obligation with great sacrifices, which led to great resistance against this tax that sometimes led to rebellion.

Fortunately, in those days, there were also wealthy and pious people who, sometimes, through donations to the clergy, relieved the population of the burden of these taxes. Morardo did a great deal of work in this sense and constituted a testamentary deed which provided for a perpetual income for the provost and the canons of San Siro who renounced the collection of tithes.

He died in Sanremo on 26 February 1777.

The people of Sanremo, grateful, wanted to place a marble bust in his memory, right in the church of San Siro, above the left side door, still visible today with a plaque that reads : « To Giuseppe Morardo, Giovanni's son, an excellent, well-deserving and most pious citizen, since with his goods the citizens were freed from the payment of the fourth part of the tithes of linen, barley, wheat, products of the vineyard and figs, due every year to the parish church, the people of Sanremo, according to the decree of the Magnificent Council, posed with a grateful soul. year 1784 ».

In more recent times the Municipal Administration dedicated to him the important road that connects Piazza Alberto Nota with Via Martiri della Libertà, once called Via Maestra, then Via Garigante and finally Via Morardo.

(source : Marco Mauro)