The Medieval Town Of Toirano

Western Liguria has always been a passageway between Europe, Italy and the port of Genoa.Welcome to Toirano, one of the earliest inhabited villages in the area! With this audio guide, we will guide you on a tour divided into 10 stops, allowing you to explore the village and its history, as well as the famous Toirano Caves, where, during the Palaeolithic era, an entire family and their prehistoric dog left lasting footprints. But first, a brief introduction!The village is located in a strategic position at the centre of the valley where the Varatella and Barescione streams meet, just 3 km from the sea.  The ancient via del Sale, or Salt Road, once passed through here, making it a crossroads for the communities of the Riviera and the lower Piedmont area. Toirano likely originated as a Byzantine fortification. What we do know for certain is that by the 9th century it was part of the Benedictine monastery of San Pietro in Varatella. The first written records of the “Municipality of Toirano”—that is, as an autonomous political entity—date back to the 13th and 14th centuries.It was during those centuries, and precisely in 1315, that the Benedictines were removed from the abbey and replaced by Carthusian monks, at the request of the bishop of Albenga. At the end of the 15th century, these monks built the Carthusian monastery in the valley floor - one of the stops on our tour.As you stroll through the village, you will notice that Toirano still preserves the layout of a medieval settlement, once enclosed by walls. At that time, five gates provided access to the village. Today only three remain, including the well-preserved “Porta delle Giaire,” which faces the three-arched bridge of the same name over the Varatella river.During your walk, you will also come across typical medieval buildings—spontaneous, irregular constructions in stone and lime—especially in the ancient Toracco district, where fortified defensive structures once stood.In medieval times, the village featured several noble towers, that is, fortified homes belonging to the most prominent families. The beautiful Gothic tower you will see in Piazza San Martino, later converted into the parish church bell tower, is the only one that has survived to the present day. Let’s now set off together through the village, to discover its architectural details and its rich history.