Chiesa di San Lorenzo (Varigotti)

Varigotti preserves two churches dedicated to Saint Lawrence: a present-day Baroque parish in the village and the medieval predecessor on the headland above Baia dei Saraceni.

Why it matters

The headland church preserves evidence of an early monastic settlement, while the parish church below reflects the later religious life of Varigotti. Together the buildings connect monastic history, medieval settlement and the village's continuing devotion to Saint Lawrence.

What to notice

The older church is a plain masonry hall on the promontory above the bay, with evidence of burials in amphorae and roof tiles in the surrounding ground. In the village parish church, an eighteenth-century painted decoration was uncovered on the bell tower during recent conservation. The chapel of Nostra Signora del Rosario and the slate roof also contribute to the church's character.

Context and history

Benedictine monks from Lérins took possession of the headland church in 1127; it served as Varigotti's parish until 1586, when the parish moved to the village below. The older building later deteriorated and was partially restored by the Associazione Amici di San Lorenzo between 1995 and 1998. The village parish underwent major conservation work beginning in 2024, addressing the bell tower, roof and facades.