Port of Venus
Portovenere (sometimes Porto Venere) is old, very old. Most probably, it was founded in the middle of the 1st century BC. Initially, the town was called Port of Venus, after the beloved goddess Venus. We assume that on the spot where the church of Peter the Apostle can be found today (last picture), there was originally a temple, which would make sense because the position is elevated and can be seen well from the sea. Also, very often known places of worship were later reused by Christians, which also happened in this case. In Roman times, the city was essentially a fishing community. Later, the Byzantine fleet was situated here. Today, it is a place visited by many people from all over the world.
Michael Hoffman Photography 