The origin of the village of Riomaggiore, as it wants the local tradition, not convalidata but
from historical sources it is made to go back to VIII the century d.C. is narrated in fact of a
group of Greek profughi which, in order to escape to the persecutions of the emperor iconoclasta
Lion III the Isaurico, after several vicissitudes, arriving to Montenero head and insediarono to
average coast forming small scattered communities. The zone, like also other neighbors, then was
inglobata in marks obertenga. Around per year the 1000 takeovers of average coast had been
gone depopulating: in fact thanks to a period of greater tranquillity on the seas and to
defense work that guaranteed emergency to the inhabitants,
had been one progressive migration towards the sea with the formation of the village of Riomaggiore.
The country was at first feudo of the powerful bishop of Luni and step as a result of several the local getlteman.
In XIII the century the first historical news documented on Riomaggiore is had. In the 1251 inhabitants of the district
of Carpena (of which it made part also Riomaggiore) gathered on the Verrugoli mount in order to swear fidelity to the Republic
of Genoa in the war against Pisa.
The village was feudo of the marquis Turcotti, getlteman of Ripalta (near Borghetto
in Val di Vara), which made to construct around to the 1260 castle and other fortifications. The territory then was sold
the powerful Fieschi family, original of Blackboard, that it possessed territories in the Gulf of La Spezia and the inside
which aimed to expand themselves ulteriorly. The Fieschi but was stopped in this expansion from the Republic of Genoa,
that it had already confirmed its presence in the zone acquiring in the 1139 village of Portovenere from the signo of Vezzano.
Therefore in 1276 Riomaggiore and the other villages of Five Lands were yielded to Genoa, but Riomaggiore remained under
the infuence of the Fieschi. It began a period of political tranquillity, was favorite the marine and mercantile exchanges,
the viticultura was upgraded rendering ovunque wines of the Five famous Lands. In 1340 the construction of the parish of Saint
Giovanni was begun Batiste for wanting of the Bishop Antonio Fieschi. - XVI century: because of numerous incursions
of pirati in all the coastal villages the castle of Riomaggiore comes strengthened. - the 1608 Five Lands forgiveness
the function of podesteria. Riomaggiore passes under the commanded one of La Spezia. - the 1818 Republic of Genoa comes
annexed to the Reign of Sardinia. The Five Lands also remaining isolated geographically have one sure economic resumption.
- 1874/1880 grazie alla
costruzione della linea
ferroviaria Genova - La
Spezia, le Cinque Terre
escono dall'isolamento
geografico. Inizia il
fenomeno del pendolarismo
verso la vina La Spezia. -
1926/1928 raddoppio della
linea ferroviaria.
(Witnesses drawn from “Magical Five Lands”, Editori Moon)
