The medieval ruins of the old church of Santo Spirito in Savona

Founded around the year 1300 by the Benedictine monks of the monastery of Sant'Eugenio on the island of Bergeggi, the church of Santo Spirito in the Zinola district of Savona served various functions. It was part of the possessions of the Abbey of Lerino on the island of Provence. During periods of plague, the building was used as a lazaretto to treat the sick.

The church never reached the status of a parish church and instead depended on the parish church of Legino. Today, only the perimeter wall remains, which was reinforced in recent years to prevent further collapses. The roof is completely gone, and the interior contains no traces of paintings or furnishings.

The decay of the building was accelerated by bombings during the Second World War. The best-preserved part is the facade, which retains decorative arches along the roofline and a beautiful pointed portal. The original bell tower, which collapsed at an uncertain date, was replaced with a small bell-cot. The site was abandoned following the construction of the current church of Santo Spirito and Concezione in the 19th century.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons