Calata Doria

Although the first settlements date back to Roman times, it was under Genoese domination when the village as we know it today, Porto Venere, was erected: the walls, the church of San Lorenzo, the Grotta Arpaia-Byron, the Church of San Pietro and the houses near the port (the Calata Doria). The fate of Porto Venere was linked to the fate of the Republic of Genoa, especially during the long war between Genoa and Pisa (1119-1290). Although the improvement of local firearms eventually lost its strategic military importance, Porto Venere maintained its strength for a long time as an important port in naval trade routes.