|
|
Riomaggiore |
|
|
The
ruins of
the 15th
– 16th
century
castle
erected
on
Cerrico
hill on
the
north-west
side of
the
village
in
defence
against
saracens’
invasions,
testify
Riomaggiore’s
history.
Two
round
towers
and the
restored
perimetrical
walls
are
still
well-visible.
Starting
from the
centre
of the
village,
people
can
reach
the
ruins
walking
along
Pecunia
Street.
In the
highest
part of
Riomaggiore,
in a
little
square
with a
beautiful
view,
there’s
the
parish
church
consecrated
to Saint
John the
Baptiste,
erected
thanks
to the
Bishop
of Luni,
Antonio
Fieschi,
and his
brother-in-law,
Luchino
Visconti,
in 1340:
with
this
gift to
the
village,
they
helped
its
inhabitants
who had
to go to
Montenero
or
Manarola,
to pray
into a
church.
Saint
John the
Baptiste’s
dedication
seems to
come
from a
misterious
relic
that
Antonio
Fiechi
received
in Genoa.
The duty
of the
building
was
entrusted
to the
“Magistri
Antelami”,
longobardic
skilled
workers
who were
always
on
service
of Genoa,
and
shared
in
almost
all
Cinque
Terre’s
churches.
The
ogival
door-ways
on the
east
side and
the
windows
of the
original
structure
are
particularly
interesting.
The
restoration
of the
façade,
in
neo-gothic
style
(the
rose-window
is
original
but
recomposed),
and the
prolongation
of the
building
with a
span,
are
dated
back to
1870. |
|
|
|
|
