Liguria, with its thousand landscapes and lands of unspoilt nature, is one of the places chosen for holidays by those who love to be in close contact with nature.
For visiting the historical and ancient wonders of the cities of the Ligurian hinterland, you can choose to stay at the farm Borgo Muratori in Diano Marina, in the province of Imperia and enjoy a relaxing and peaceful stay surrounded by citrus and olive groves, as well as a magnificent view of the sea.
Cervo
If you stay at the Borgo Muratori holiday farm in Diano Marina, one of the first cities to visit is Cervo.
One of the most beautiful places to see is the church of San Giovanni Battista, better known as “Coral’s”.
Built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries thanks to the proceeds of coral fishing, from which it takes its name, is one of the most important and great monuments in Baroque style of the Riviera Ligure di Ponente.
Church of San Giovanni Battista, Cervo, photo by mapio
In its interior, the church has a single nave with the presence of altars and side chapels.
Between 1763 and 1767 the sculptor Bernardo Gaggino built the altar of St. Anthony of Padua where the statue of the saint is placed.
The presence of a white marble pulpit of the sixteenth century is enchanting, with panels carved with the reproduction of St. George and St. John the Baptist.
The vault of the apse is decorated with frescoes by the painter Francesco Carrega, while the other paintings of the time were made by Graffigna of Genoa after the earthquake of Diano Marina in 1887 that caused damage to the church and the city.
Another very important place of devotion is the oratory of Santa Caterina: built in the 13th century at the behest of the Knights Hospitallers, it became a parish church in 1505.
The church has undergone numerous renovations over time, in fact, just at the time of the elevation to chapel were opened on the sides of some chapels, while the roof was originally shaped in exposed beams, while today is hidden under a thick vault decorated with frescoes.
Even the apse and the altar, which was once made of wood, were built after the original building, while the bell tower is clearly dated to the 17th century.
Castle of Clavesana, Cervo, photo by latopinadellavalleargentina.wordpress
Continuing the visit of the city we reach the Castle of Clavesana, born as a fortified church dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria.
It was in the 12th century that the lords of the territory, the Marquises of Clavesana, transformed it into a castle, incorporating a Romanesque tower into the construction.
Over the years the castle has been used for several purposes: first as an oratory, then as a hospital located in the rooms below and designed by the Knights of Rhodes who named it after Sant’Antonio Abate.
Today, the rooms on the first floor house the ethnographic museum of Ponente Ligure, as well as the tourist information office; instead, the upper floor is dedicated to art exhibitions.
