FAI - San Fruttuoso Abbey

San Fruttuoso is a small fishing village located in a splendid bay at the foot of Mount Portofino, reachable only by sea or on foot, following the trails of Mount Portofino Park.
The extraordinary spot is dominated by the Abbey of “San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte”. This splendid monument, now part of the heritage of FAI - the Italian Environment Found - has extremely old origins, dating back to the 8th century when Prospero, Bishop of Tarragon, brought there the ashes of San Fruttuoso, a bishop martyred in the 3rd century.
The church and the annexed monastery which were damaged by the Saracens gained importance when they were rebuilt by the Benedictines in the 10th century.
Subsequently, in the 13th century the Abbey fell under the patronage of the powerful Genoese Doria family, who built the current structure.
In 1983 FAI restored the Abbey to its ancient splendor; it is now open to visitors and is available for extraordinary gala events.
A underwater statue of Christ, known as the "Christ of the Depths", protector of divers, stands at the bottom of the Bay.