This beautiful village was founded in the 10th century as a defence against Saracen attacks and named “Castrum Diani” (after the Roman goddess Diana).
Due to its high position, overlooking the Gulf , it used to be under the dominion of the feudal lords Clavesana and was the centre of the Dianese area throughout the Middle Ages.
Its historical centre still offers the atmosphere an fortified village.
Worth seeing are the Municipal Loggia, the Quaglia- palace with its façade-fresco of the 16th century remembering the battle of “La Meloria” between the sea-republics Genoa and Pisa in 1284 and the parish church Saint Nicolas of Bari.
So the oratorio of the Saint Cross and Saint Bernhard decorated by a 14th century fresco attributed to Matteo Biasacci da Busca, the old Romanesque church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist with its original 14th century wooden ceiling and the Romanesque church of the Assumption of Mary dating back to the 13th century with frescoes of the 15th century showing the life of the Virgin and Jesus Christ as well as a huge Saint Christopher.