The Church of St. Peter, located in the municipality of Portovenere, on Doria Street, is the oldest in the Gulf of La Spezia. Built on the rocky spur at the edge of the town overlooking the open sea, the church was founded on the ancient remains of a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Venus Erycina, transformed in the 5th century into a small early Christian basilica officially consecrated in 1198, fully giving the building the appearance of a church. Above this construction, the Genoese built the current Church of St. Peter between 1256 and 1277.
The oldest part, to the right of the entrance, is still identifiable today thanks to the circular flooring made with thin slabs of various types of stones and marble. The church has three naves and a simple white marble altar. The interior is decorated, like part of the facade, with horizontal black and white stripes, typical of the Gothic-Genoese style.
In 1494, a large fire struck the town and also affected the Church of St. Peter, which was later damaged by attacks from Charles VII’s fleet. It was repeatedly looted of its materials, which were used for various purposes, and during the Napoleonic period, its ruins were used as a military battery for the defense of the Gulf of La Spezia. The restoration of the church began in 1929 and ended in 1934.
The ecclesiastical structure also includes a Gothic bell tower, a small covered loggia with arches facing the sea, as well as a panoramic square adjacent to the church roof with a breathtaking view. The Church of St. Peter is certainly one of the most romantic and evocative places in Italy and is included in the General Catalog of Italian Cultural Heritage. It is beautiful in its apparent simplicity and is the most photographed church in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The entire bay of Portovenere with Palmaria Island represents the meeting point between sky, earth, and sea. The scenery that the small Church of St. Peter offers is unique and unrepeatable. The extremely high aesthetic value of the bay and the extraordinary historical-architectural level are undeniable.
While staying at Downtown Blue Apartment, you can reach Portovenere by bus in just a few minutes and visit the wonderful Church of St. Peter, an incredible jewel perched above the sea that the world envies us for.