Basilica di San Salvatore dei Fieschi

The Basilica di San Salvatore dei Fieschi stands in a small village of Cogorno, about 4 km northeast of Chiavari, in a position that has been described as one of the most perfect medieval spaces in Liguria. The Romanesque-Gothic church was commissioned by Pope Innocent IV in the thirteenth century, and the square it faces — still flanked by the original Fieschi palace — is virtually unchanged since it was built.

The interior is sober and beautiful: black and white striped stone typical of Ligurian Gothic, excellent capitals, and a cloister with views across the hills. The basilica is well worth the short detour from Chiavari — it is accessible by car in ten minutes, or by bus from the town centre.

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The basilica was built by Sinibaldo Fieschi, who became Pope Innocent IV in 1243. He is said to have ordered the church to be constructed at his own expense and it was completed before his death in 1254. The palace opposite, where the Fieschi family lived, still faces the church across the same square, creating a medieval ensemble that has barely changed in 750 years.

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