The Church of St. Jacob was first mentioned in 1155 as chapel under the administration of the Cathedral of Constance. The combined bell tower and choir was probably build in the 13th or 14th century. In 1465 the nave was extended toward the west and the tower was raised. The sacristy was added in 1489, bringing the church to its current appearance. In the same year it was raised to a parish church and the center of a local parish.
The baptismal font was added in 1590. The pulpit was built in 1790. The sundial was painted in 1808 by Conrad Boltshauser and restored in 1954. During a renovation in 1975, two frescos were discovered. The Weihnachtsgeschichte or Christmas Story was painted in the 15th century, while the Last Judgement is from around 1460-70. The church is shared between the Reformed and Roman Catholic residents.
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.