Chiesa di San Lorenzo

The Chiesa di San Lorenzo dominates the high point of Manarola with its white, square bell tower and a singular, large marble rose window set into a dark stone facade. Built in thirteen thirty-eight, the church served as a lookout point against pirate raids from the sea. Local lore tells of a heavy iron chain kept at the entrance, used to lock the main doors against invaders while villagers prayed inside. Today, the church remains the stone anchor of the hillside village.