St. Lawrence Romanesque Church in Portovenere

The Romanesque Church of St. Lawrence in Portovenere is the main parish church of the city. The Romanesque church, built in 1098 on the site of the pagan altar of Jupiter, became the center of the main religious festival of Portovenere - the honors of the Madonna Bianca, which are held annually on August 17.

The Church of St. Lawrence is a typical Romanesque building of the XI century. The modest heavy facade is completed with a small socket window and three pointed windows. The temple was badly damaged during fires and Italian wars between Genoa, France and Spain and was rebuilt by 1582. The main nave of the Romanesque temple was preserved, but a lush dome was built above the altar, the shape of which reminds of Renaissance architecture, the cathedrals of Rome and Florence. The apse of the temple was supplemented by a high bell tower of snow-white marble.

St. Lawrence Church is also known as the Madonna Bianca Church, meaning the White Madonna Church. According to legend, in 1399, during the occupation of Portovenere by French troops, a plague raged in the city. Brought from the neighboring village, the image of the Virgin Mary, written on parchment, miraculously shone when transferred to the temple. After that, the plague in Portovenere stopped. Since then, the veneration of the scroll began, and celebrations are held annually in honor of the Virgin Mary. On August 17, everyone can see the miraculous scroll stored in the sanctuary of the Church of St. Lawrence.