Portovenere is a picturesque town in the bay of La Spezia. Its architecture shows many signs of its medieval past. The town was conquered by Genoa in 1113, and was turned into a strategic stronghold for dominating the far east of Liguria. Its dual character, military and marine, can be seen from the way the town is laid out around two centers - one on the promontory which was connected to the old port, and the center to the west where the old Genoese fortified town stood. To commemorate their conquest of the town, in 1130 the Genoese had the church of San Lorenzo constructed in the same Gothic-Renaissance style as Genoa cathedral.
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