San Lorenzo Cathedral. In a small square in the centre of the old town, one of the oldest churches in Italy, dating back to the early 12th century, houses the ashes of John the Baptist and the “spoils” of the first crusaders, who were Genoese. In the museum of the cathedral there are valuable relics, one of which is the cup of the Holy Grail (I century), given, according to legend, by the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon – the cup used by Christ during the Last Supper; the dish on which the head of John the Baptist fell after it was cut by order of King Herod; there are also kept such unique relics as the hair of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ and the thorn from the crown of thorns of Jesus. The museum is rich in Byzantine jewellery.
The Church of the Jesuit Order of Saints Ambrogio and Andrea – The Church of Saints Ambrogio and Andrea was built in 1500. But already in 1552 it was taken over by the Jesuit order. The name was also changed – it was dedicated to Jesus. The Jesuits rebuilt and decorated the temple, not skimping on hiring world-famous masters. Thus, the altar was painted by Rubens himself. Besides him, Bernardo Strozzi, Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari and many other Italian and Ligurian masters took part in decorating the church. At the end of the XIX century the church was again rebuilt. The architects argued about the design of the facade, but it turned out that Rubens’ sketches, which he had made while working on the altar in the XVII century, had been preserved. The drawings depicted the facade of the Church of Jesus. After that, all controversy ceased.
The Church of San Bartholomew, an Armenian church inconspicuously nestled among the houses, is known to many Christian pilgrims. This small church, which was founded in 1308 by Armenian monks who came to Genoa from Montenegro in Southern Armenia, houses a priceless Christian relic, the Holy Face of Jesus Christ. This is the oldest image of Jesus. Today, the Armenian Church of St Bartholomew in Genoa carefully preserves the ancient relic, which can now be seen much more often.
The Church of San Giorgio – The Church of St George is a Catholic church located on a high promontory in Portofino. According to a plaque in the church, the shrine was built in Romanesque style in 1154. Although excavations carried out during the reconstruction of the church after World War II have uncovered the remains of an ancient chapel that was once located on the site, which may date the church back to the Lombard era in Liguria. During its history, the church has been rebuilt, enlarged and reconstructed. During the Second War, the church was completely destroyed by a bomb dropped by a fighter bomber. In 1950 the church was rebuilt. The exterior and interior of the church are simple in design and rather modest. Inside there are relics of St George, the patron saint of Portofino, brought by sailors returning from the Crusades.
