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Cinque Terre: Manarola

The village of Manarola was founded about during the 12th century by people coming from Volastra (the “vicus oleater”: olive-trees’ village). More probable for Volastra seems to be the ethimologic origin from ligurian names such as: “Viassa” (Biassa), “Vappa” (Viapra) or Strà…In ancient times, Volastra was already the post-stage used by the Romans for the

change of horses along the coastal road, before the building of the Aurelia (109 B.C.). From the overhanging hills, groups of countrymen went down toward the sea and founded this new coastal settlement. Manarola was a feud of the marquis of Carpena, then it passed to the powerful family of the Fieschi, lords of Lavagna, when the Bishop of Luni yelded it to them, in 1252.

The village is firstly quoted into a document, in 1266. Manarola was the birthplace of Linibaldo Fieschi, the future Innocenzo IV (1243-1254), the Pope who excommunicated Federico II and arranged the 7th crusade. The village suffered many saracens’ invasions.