Church of Sant’Antonino of Perti

(11th century)

A romanic church in the ancient byzantine castle

The church of Sant’Antonino rises in an uncontaminated landscape at the top of a steep hill in the inland of Finale, surrounded by the ruins of the walls and the towers of the ancient byzantine castle, built between the 6th and 7th century A.D. to defend Liguria from the Lombard invasions.

This medieval church, dated to the 11th century, with its fascinating crypt and Finale Stone walls, is a beautiful example of romanic architecture immersed in the Mediterranean maquis.

MORE INFORMATION – Church of Sant’Antonino of Perti

The church of Sant’AntoniNo was built at the top of a steep hill in the inland of Finale, positioned between the Perti and Aquila valleys and is surrounded by high cliffs, where the byzantine castle was built in order to protect Finale from the Lombard invasion with its walls and towers between the 6th and 7th century.

The small church, dated to the 11th century, is a beautiful example of romanic architecture, with walls built with small Finale stone square blocks that came from a quarry close by in proximity of the Arma del Sambuco, on the western side of Bric Scimarco.

The building has a single hall that ends with a semi-circular apse with narrow single lancet windows positioned on two floors. On the left side a door opened with an arch with square blocks, currently the door is blocked.

The romanic crypt was built in the part of the apse; to access the crypt there is a narrow staircase on the left side of the nave. The crypt inside presents walls divided by semi-columns that support hanging arches and a niche destined for the priest that officiated Mass.

In this fascinating environment there is a natural karst tunnel, where according to an ancient tradition it was the seat of an oracle, to whom the local population turned to.

The church suffered severe damage during the earthquake that hit western Liguria on the 23rd of February 1887. As a painted inscription reminds us, a few years after, the facade was rebuilt in the simple form of a rural chapel while the inside of the church was plastered and painted according to the taste of the time.

HOW TO REACH

CHURCH OF SANT’ANTONINO IN PERTI

How to reach the site

The church can be reached only on foot by following the steep and enchanting path that starts from the Valle di Perti between the houses that once belonged to the Massaferro family.

Visit

Bookings for tours are available as part of the “Open door Open art” Project endorsed by MUDIF.

Il sito è visitabile nell’ambito del progetto di “Archeotrekking Finale” promosso dal Museo Archeologico del Finale e dalla Cooperativa Guide “Finale Natura”

Info

Orario di Visita

Calendario delle visite

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