The building of three-nave stone church dedicated to St. Nicholas was started in the late 1200s, but not completed until mid-1300s. The western tower was erected in the 15th century. Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, a Swedish rebel leader against Kalmar Union and later statesman, was probably buried to the church after he was murdered in 1436.
The church was restored in 1860-1899. The appearance has been influenced by English and German Gothic architecture styles. The interior date mainly from the 17th century.
References:Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune of Riomaggiore. It is the second-smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists, with a population of 353.
Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name 'Manarola' is probably a dialectical evolution of the Latin, 'magna rota'. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to 'magna roea' which means 'large wheel', in reference to the mill wheel in the town.
Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region.