One of the main buildings we suggest visiting in Portovenere is the Church of St. Lawrence.
The parish church of St. Lawrence rises in the high part of Portovenere and it was fortified by the Genoese to control the extreme east. The building, erected by the Maestro Antelami and realised in a Romantic style, was enriched over the Yeats by gothic and renaissance elements: the church underwent changes due to the historical events that happened in Portovenere.
St. Lawrence being martyred is depicted on the main entrance. He died on the gridiron in 258 under the Roman Emperor Valeriano.
The church contains priceless works of art such as a 15th- century tryptic, the miraculous parchment of the White Madonna and the trunk of the cedar of Lebanon: the latter was brought to Portovenere in 1204 and inside it 4 adorned caskets were found.
The sacristy is also worth a visit. There, you can admire the famous “Tesoro di San Lorenzo” (Treasure of St. Lawrence): this splendid collection is made up of goldsmith’s artefacts in oriental style, ivory boxes, a silver “Pace” of Flemish origin, and statues and crucifixes from the XVII century.
If you want to visit the “Tesoro di San Lorenzo” in Portovenere, we suggest contacting the sacristy of the church.
