Santa Margherita Church, Romanesque church in Vernazza, Italy
Santa Margherita Church is a Romanesque church building located in the small coastal village of Vernazzo and features an octagonal bell tower rising above the roofline. The interior maintains its foundational structure with religious elements, while an organ from the 1970s completes the composition.
The building originated in the 13th century and underwent major changes between the 16th and 17th centuries that altered the exterior. In the second half of the 1900s, it was restored to reveal its original Romanesque features and remove later additions.
The building holds paintings from the 1600s and a wooden crucifix attributed to sculptor Anton Maria Maragliano, reflecting artistic traditions that took root here over time. These objects show how craftsmen from across the region contributed their work to this place.
You enter through the apse, which is at the rear of the building, due to modifications made in the 1800s. Since it sits in a small clifftop village, plan time to explore the narrow streets and pathways surrounding it.
The building underwent major restoration work between 1964 and 1970 that involved removing Baroque layers to uncover the original Romanesque design beneath. This process revealed the true medieval character that had been hidden under centuries of later modifications.
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