Religious itineraries.
For mediaeval man, the centre of the world was Jerusalem: in the maps of the time, the Holy City figured as the centre of the known world. In relation to the central position of Jerusalem, Liguria was at the crossroads of the sea and land routes that joined some of the main areas of the Christian world: to the north-west were Ireland, England and France, which was where the monks and pilgrims took the Via Francigena on their way to Rome; towards the south-east was the road to Santiago de Compostela. The only route that did not involve Genoa was the north-western route from Germany and the east European countries.
There were many pilgrims who came to embark in Genoa on their way to the Holy Land: the Genoese were famous for their ships, which were built with very tough timber that made for safe navigation even in winter, according to a report written by Bishop Giacomo da Vitry in 1216. The Port of Genoa and the geographical position of Liguria were also praised by Anselmo Adorno, another illustrious pilgrim who came to Genoa in 1470 on his way to the Holy Land. The Commenda di San Giovanni di Pré was run by the Knights of Jerusalem as a shelter for pilgrims.