Portofino

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Portofino-Stemma.png

---

image_caption=Panorama of Portofino taken from Castello Brown.
img_coa_small=yes
official_name = Comune di Portofino
name = Portofino
region = Liguria
province = Genoa (GE)
elevation_m = 4
area_total_km2 = 2.6
population_as_of = 2006-10-31All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.]
population_total = 521
population_density_km2 =200
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|44|18|N|9|12|E|type:city(10,244)_region:IT
frazioni =
telephone = 0185
postalcode = 16034
gentilic = Portofinesi
saint = St. George
day = First Sunday in April
mayor =Giorgio Devoto
website = [http://www.comune.portofino.genova.it www.comune.portofino.genova.it]
mapy = 9.207769
mapx = 44.303943

Portofino (Ligurian: "Portofin") is a small Italian fishing village, "comune" and tourist resort located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town crowded round its small harbour is considered to be among the most beautiful Mediterranean ports.

History

According to Pliny the Elder, Portofino was founded by the Romans and named "Portus Delphini", or "Port of the Dolphin", because of the large number of dolphins that inhabited the Tigullian Gulf. The village is mentioned in a "diploma" from 986 by Adelaide of Italy, which assigned it to the nearby Abbey of San Fruttoso di Capodimonte. In 1171, together with the neighbouring Santa Margherita Ligure, it was included in Rapallo's commune jurisdiction. After 1229 it was part of the Republic of Genoa. The town's natural harbour supported a fleet of fishing boats, but was somewhat too cramped to provide more than a temporary safe haven for the growing merchant marine of the Republic of Genoa.

In 1409 Portofino was sold to the Republic of Florence by Charles VI of France, but when the latter was ousted from Genoa the Florentine gave it back. In the 15th century it was a fief of families such as the Fieschi, Spinola, Adorno and Doria.

In 1815 it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and, from 1861, of the unified Kingdom of Italy.

In the late 19th century, first British, then other northern European aristocratic tourists began to visit Portofino, which they reached by horse and cart from Santa Margherita Ligure. Aubrey Herbert (1880–1923) was one of the more famous Englishmen to maintain a villa at Portofino. Eventually more expatriates built expensive vacation houses, and by 1950 tourism had supplanted fishing as the town's chief industry, and the waterfront was a continuous ring of restaurants and cafés.

Main sights

*Statue of "Christ of the Abyss", put underwater on August 29, 1954 in the small bay at a depth of 17 meters. This statue was placed to protect fishermen and scuba divers and in memory of Duilio Marcante. Sculpted by Guido Galletti, it represents a benedictory Christ who is looking up towards the sky with open arms as a sign of peace.
* Castello Brown (16th century).
*Church of St. Martin ("Divo Martino", 12th century).
*Church of St. George, housing some saints' relics.
*Oratory of "Santa Maria Assunta", in Gothic style.

Other

Portofino has even been recreated in detail around the harbor at Tokyo DisneySea in Chiba, Japan, and to a much lesser extent, the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, USA and the Gulf Harbour development on the Hibiscus Coast, New Zealand. [Gulf Harbour Portofino Model [http://ruedamarres.co.nz/] ]

Twin towns

*flagicon|Ireland Kinsale, Ireland
*flagicon|Spain Palma de Mallorca, Spain

See also

* Cervara Abbey
* Paraggi

References

External links

*
* [http://www.comune.portofino.genova.it/home/ Comune di Portofino official website]
* [http://www.parks.it/parco.portofino/Eindex.html Portofino Natural Park]
* [http://www.parks.it/riserva.marina.portofino/Eindex.html Portofino Marine Protected Area]
* [http://www.portofino.ws Portofino World Site - Official Tourist Site]
* [http://www.swiatpodrozy.pl/g.php?g=201 Pictures from Portofino] pl icon
* [http://www.hotelsplendido.com Hotel Splendido Portofino]