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| The origins of
Portovenere are documented starting from the 2nd century
BC, when in an ancient nautical route "Portus Veneris"
is indicated as roman naval station of Gallia and Spain. |
Antecedent to this date it is
the settlement in the cape and starting 1113 Portovenere
became "bastion of Genoa in the Tyrrhenian Sea" due to
the cession from Vezzano Lords to the Marine Republic.
In fact they were exactly the Genoans to construct the fortified
village therefore like we still today see it and to erect
the town-walls building and the Castle that today stand over the
town. |
| The "castrum novum" was built up from the Antelami
family according to precise architectonic norms: the house-fortress on the
seafront, the castle, the church of Saint Laurence (1130), the publica way from the beach to the castrum vetus, the
enclosure of the village inside the walls (1160). So since the medieval age the destiny of
Portovenere was bind to the great marine republic, above all during the long war between Genoa and Pisa. |
| The Village of
Portovenere appears today, in its immutate shapes since 8 centuries, to the
eyes of the tourist who can appreciate the ineguagliabile panorama, the characteristic and colorful
foreshortening, the uniqueness of the ancient doors of the houses towers that are aligned tightened one to the other on the carruggi and on the
calata. |
| Without doubt for
everyones the name of Portovenere evokes the Church of Saint
Peter, hung on the cliff of the cape and with it nearly fused
in an architectonic harmony unique in the world, today
destination of many couples from every part of Italy, Europe and also
from other continents who want to celebrate their wedding.
Built by the Genoans between 1256 and 1277 on the relics of a early Christian
church, overlapped to a temple dedicated to the goddess Venere. |
| In the high part of the
village there is the Church of Saint Laurence, built also by the
Genoans such as officiale cathedral of the colony. It was constructed
by famous Magistri Antelami with Romanesque facade but, in the course of the
centuries, it was many times modified in its structures because of the
turbolent historical vicissitudes of Portovenere. |
| Portovenere
is towered above from the Doria Castle which raises with its powerful structure and
represents a wonderful model of Genoan military architecture. |
| Portovenere
and its Archipelago were inscribed on the Unesco “World Heritage
List” in 1997. In 2001 an other important acknowledgment
is arrived: the Liguria region has instituted the Regional Natural Park of
Portovenere that includes the islands Palmaria, Tino and
Tinetto.
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| Text drawn from http://www.portovenere.it |
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Reproduction of photos is prohibited. |
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Via Calata Doria, 40