The churches of Santa Maria, from pre-Romanesque times, and Santa Maria Maddalena, built on the rocky outcrop overlooking the Sansobbia stream, can be considered a unique gem in Liguria, because of their antiquity and their intertwining, in a marriage of different eras, with the enchanting landscape that surrounds them.
The church of Santa Maria was built at the end of the 10th century, when the first nucleus of Ellera began to form, on land donated by Anselmo, Marquis of Savona, to the Benedictine monastery of San Quintino di Spigno. Houses and two small churches, San Salvatore and Santa Maria, were built on these estates: in short, “Ellera with two churches” arose, the property of the monks of S. Quintino, as written on an act of Pope Alexander III in 1179. No trace remains of the small church of St. Salvatore.
The church of Santa Maria was built at the end of the 10th century, when the first nucleus of Ellera began to form, on land donated by Anselmo, Marquis of Savona, to the Benedictine monastery of San Quintino di Spigno. Houses and two small churches, San Salvatore and Santa Maria, were built on these estates: in short, “Ellera with two churches” arose, the property of the monks of S. Quintino, as written on an act of Pope Alexander III in 1179. No trace remains of the small church of St. Salvatore.
The church of Santa Maria constitutes an important moment in the transition from early medieval to Romanesque architecture and was used at the end of the 16th century as the base for the small bell tower of the larger church of Santa Maria Maddalena, which was built next to it and in its place: to this function, however, it owes its preservation to the present day.
In 1637 the inhabitants of Ellera were granted their own parish and began construction of the church of St. Bartolomeo. The complex today consists of the church, the former oratory of San Lorenzo, opened in 1682, and the rectory house. The parish church consists of a hall over which open three chapels on each side, decorated by the painter Antonio Novaro. The frescos in the bowl and on the right side of the presbytery are by Raffaello Resio (1908), while the lunetted barrel vault is frescoed by Eso Peluzzi (1927).
In 1637 the inhabitants of Ellera were granted their own parish and began construction of the church of St. Bartolomeo. The complex today consists of the church, the former oratory of San Lorenzo, opened in 1682, and the rectory house. The parish church consists of a hall over which open three chapels on each side, decorated by the painter Antonio Novaro. The frescos in the bowl and on the right side of the presbytery are by Raffaello Resio (1908), while the lunetted barrel vault is frescoed by Eso Peluzzi (1927).
