An inhabited core called Portus Veneris seems to have existed when the Romans founded the town of Luni (177 B.C.). Certainly the core is mentioned as a landing-place in the coastal portolano dated 161 A.C. known with the name of itinerarium maritimum im- peratoris Antonini Augusti. Tradition wants that the name of the village comes from a pagan temple dedicated to Venus Ericina situated on the point of the promontory. The events of the place from the very beginning of Christianity, that saw the islands of Tino and Tinetto becoming centres of performance and spread of this religion to the East, are historically well more documentated. In fact, on the two little islands there are some conspicuous ruins of religious works: on Tinetto some ruins of a church dating back to the 10th-llth century and on Tino some structures of the l1th and 15th centuries, evidence of the old Abbey of San Venerio, hermit born in that place. The monks left the two islands at the end of the 15th century and moved to the monastery of the Grazie. Portovenere was a Byzantine fortified centre which was conquered and destroyed by Rotari in 641-43. Enclosed into the Obertenga March, in the l1th century it became part of the feud belonging to the Lords of Vezzano, who at the beginning of the 12th century, sold it to the Genoese, who transformed it into a sure and well fortified stronghold above all during the Pisan occupation of Lerici (1241-1256). Besides by the castle on the top of the hill, the village was defended by some walls and towers of defence, while some particular towers were built on the band facing the harbour. The inhabited area, placed in a strategic position, during the centuries was subject to enemy's attacks, but its very imposing fortifications always protected it from defeat. In the middle of the 15th century, the Genoese rebuilt the castle according to a perfectly integral pentagonal form, in order to fit it to the new war techniques.