home Fishing methods Doge's palace in genoa Palazzo Ducale (Palace of the Doges) (Genoa, Italy) Who are the Doges in Genoa

Doge's palace in genoa Palazzo Ducale (Palace of the Doges) (Genoa, Italy) Who are the Doges in Genoa

Genoa is the largest northern port in Italy and the center of resort life on the Ligurian coast. Already from the X-XI centuries. The Republic of Genoa held in its hands the best sea routes of the Mediterranean, while squeezing out even the mighty Venice.

The famous Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa - the navigator, explorer and discoverer of the American continent. You can see his house with your own eyes on one of the city streets. The incomparable Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi spent a lot of time in the capital of Liguria. Once upon a time, his operas made the local musical theater famous.

Genoa is a place where a good beach holiday can be combined with active excursions and long health walks in nature. You need to come to the Ligurian coast for the magnificent climate, ancient architecture and unhurried passage of time.

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What to see and where to go in Genoa?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

1. Piazza Ferrari

The central square of Genoa, located on the border of the historic and business quarters. Many city attractions are located here - palaces, theater, monuments, administrative buildings. The Piazza is often the venue for public demonstrations, concerts and other events. The square is named after Duke R. de Ferrari, a famous city patron of the arts.

2. Old port of Genoa

For centuries, the busy Genoese harbor was moored by ships loaded with spices, outlandish goods from distant lands and slaves. Over time, the port fell into disrepair, but local enthusiasts found use for it. According to the project of the architect R. Päno, for the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America, the old harbor was converted into an entertainment complex. A museum, a tropical garden, a swimming pool, a panoramic elevator appeared on its territory.

3. La Lanterna

One of the oldest lighthouses in the world, located in the port of Genoa. It is believed that the tower was built in the 12th century. Over the next years, the lighthouse increased in size, in the XIV century, a prison was organized inside. A building reconstructed in the 16th century has survived to this day. The maintenance of the lighthouse was paid from the tax paid by the ships moored in the city port.

4. Backcadass

A picturesque area along the Corso Italia promenade. There are several good beaches on the territory of Bakkadassa, which attracts increased attention of tourists. Cape Santa Chiara with a stylized medieval castle is also located here. In the past centuries, mostly fishermen settled in local houses. The area is distinguished by narrow stone streets, brightly colored facades and stunning views from the waterfront.

5. Nerves

A small resort town located near Genoa. Administratively, it is considered part of the urban agglomeration of Genoa. Previously, Nervi was an ordinary fishing village, now it is built up with villas and apartments for tourists, although fishermen still continue to go to sea. The town has several interesting museums where you can learn a lot about the history and culture of Liguria.

6. Palazzi dei Rolli

A quarter built up with palaces of the Genoese nobility. More than half of the buildings after restoration were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. On the territory of Palazzo Tursi, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Rosso, you can see rich collections of antique furniture, priceless paintings, tapestries and sculptures. These palaces are located on Garibaldi Street - the central alley of the quarter. The street was named after the revered Italian revolutionary and hero.

7. Palazzo Bianco

The palace-museum, which is part of the Strada Nuova museum complex. The building was built in the 16th century by order of the influential Genoese Grimaldi family. Subsequently, the palazzo changed its owners several times. At the beginning of the 18th century, the new owners, the Brigondi family, carried out a thorough reconstruction. Since then, the palace has received the unofficial name "Palazzo Bianco" due to the white color prevailing in the interior. At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was transferred to the state.

8. Palazzo Rosso

The red palace, erected in the 17th century by the architect P.A. Corradi. In 2006, the building was listed as a UNESCO Historical Heritage Site. The palazzo was privately owned until 1874, then it was donated to the city. Along with Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi, the palace is part of the museum complex on Via Garibaldi. Inside is a collection of art that once belonged to the Brignole-Sale family, the former owners of the palazzo.

9. Palazzo Ducale

Former palace of the Doges - rulers of Genoa, which was built and completed in the period 1251-1539. Today, the building houses a museum. Also, some rooms are used for cultural and social events. At the end of the 18th century, the palazzo was rebuilt taking into account the fashionable trends of the neoclassical style at that time. The last restoration was carried out in 1992 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.

10. Palazzo San Giorgio

A 12th century palace built by a close relative of the first Genoese doge. It is interesting that the wreckage of the Venetian embassy, \u200b\u200bwhich was brought from Constantinople, was used as a building material. At a certain period, the palazzo began to be used as a prison. The most famous prisoner of this dungeon was the traveler Marco Polo. In the 15th century, the building housed a bank. Today, the palace houses the Genoese Port Authority.

11. Royal Palace

The 17th century palace, preserved in its original form, despite several restorations. It was built between 1643 and 1650. for an influential Genoese family. Since 1824, the palazzo has been used as the residence of the royal family of Savoy. The new occupants have put a lot of effort into making the interiors look luxurious. They brought a lot of expensive furniture and art objects.

12. Princely villa

The mansion was built in the 17th century for A. Doria, the naval admiral and ruler of the city. At that time, the palace was the most luxurious building in Genoa. It hosted important guests, official delegations and foreign ambassadors. Over time, A. Doria was granted the princely title, so the residence was renamed "Princely Villa". The building is surrounded by a landscaped garden, which houses a large fountain from 1585.

13. Castle Albertis

The castle was built in the 19th century on the site of the old fortress walls of Genoa. Until 1932, it belonged to E.A. D'Albertis - sea captain and founder of yachting in Italy. The building was erected in the neo-gothic style according to the project of A. D'Andrade. In 2004, Genoa was selected as the European Capital of Culture. In connection with this event, the Museum of World Cultures was opened on the territory of the castle, which contains exhibits obtained during expeditions to Africa, Australia and Oceania, America.

14. Cathedral of San Lorenzo

The main cathedral of Genoa, erected in the XII century on the site of the old church of the V-VI centuries. Even earlier, at the dawn of our era, there was an ancient Roman temple and an early Christian cemetery, as evidenced by objects discovered during excavations. The construction of the cathedral was fully completed by the 17th century, during which time it underwent several extensions and reconstructions. The cathedral has a Treasure Museum, which houses jewelry made from the 9th century.

15. Church of Santa Maria di Castello

One of the oldest temples in Genoa, which was built in the 9th-10th centuries. In the XIV-XV centuries. a monastery was added to the church. By the XX century, the monastery fell into decay. Now a museum is located within its walls. Santa Maria di Castello is a working church. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt and updated. Therefore, in its appearance, you can catch the features of Baroque and Classicism, superimposed on the austere Romanesque facade.

16. Basilica of Santissima Annunziata del Vastato

A picturesque church built in a transitional style from Mannerism to Baroque. According to the original plan, the temple was erected in the late Gothic style, but at the beginning of the 17th century, under the leadership of the architect T. Carlone, the building was rebuilt. Famous masters worked on the decoration of the church in different periods: D. Bernardo, D. Casella, K. Barabino. This was made possible by generous funding from the wealthy Lomellini family.

17. Church of Saints Ambrose and Andrew

Jesuit temple located in one of the central city squares. The first church of the 6th century, located on this site, was named after Saint Ambrose - the patron saint of Milan. It lasted until 1552. After the building fell into the hands of the Jesuits, they decided to rebuild the church to their liking. Thanks to the brothers, valuable works of art and frescoes by D. Carlone appeared in the church.

18. Staglieno cemetery

The cemetery began its work in the middle of the 19th century. It quickly became the most popular in the city. The people who buried their relatives seem to have competed in the beauty of the headstones adorning graves and crypts. Now the necropolis can be considered as an open-air sculpture museum. The philosopher F. Nietzsche, accompanied by the artist P. Klee, once liked to walk along the paths of the cemetery.

19. Teatro Carlo Felice

Genoa's main opera and ballet stage, located in Piazza Ferrari. The theater building was erected in the first half of the 19th century. The opera “Bianca and Fernando” by V. Bellini was chosen as the premiere performance. The works of the great Giuseppe Verdi were often staged on the stage. The composer himself lived in Genoa every winter for 40 years. All this time he worked closely with the leadership of the theater.

20. Aquarium of Genoa

Aquarium of Genoa is considered the second largest in Europe and the largest aquarium in Italy. Marine life is contained in 70 huge reservoirs with a total capacity of more than 6 million tons of water. The Oceanarium was built in 1992 for the start of the Genoa Expo, which was held in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. In 1998, the area of \u200b\u200bthe aquarium was expanded with another extension.

21. Galata Maritime Museum

The museum was opened in 2004. The exposition tells about the rich history and traditions of navigation of the Genoese Republic, as well as the entire Mediterranean. The museum exhibits ship models from different historical eras. There are modern submarines, old boats of wealthy merchants, and warships. The museum has a library where navigational charts and ship documentation are kept.

22. Galleon "Neptune"

Replica of a Spanish 17th century ship, which was created in 1985 specifically for the film "Pirates" by Roman Polanski. Externally, the ship is a real Spanish galleon, completely made of wood, but it has a powerful modern engine and a steel hull. After filming, the ship moored forever near the Maritime Museum and is now used only as a tourist attraction.

23. Panoramic elevator "Il Bigo"

A popular tourist attraction located in the Old Port of Genoa. The elevator is stylized as a system of port cranes, with the help of which ships were loaded and unloaded. "Il Bigo" lifts passengers to a height of 40 meters above sea level, from where a panoramic view of the sea, the city, the harbor, the coastal cliffs and the vicinity of Genoa opens.

24. Porta Soprana Gate

A massive 12th century gate located in the heart of the city. For many centuries, they served as the main entrance to Genoa. The structure is made of gray stone in the form of two watch towers connected by an arched span. Tourists can climb to the gate's observation deck for free and enjoy the city views from there. Porta Soprana is located in the historical part of Genoa.

25. House of Christopher Columbus

The great navigator and discoverer Columbus was born on the territory of the Republic of Genoa. The house in which he was born still stands on one of the city streets. The building was badly damaged in the 17th century during the French attack, but the building was partially restored. During the excavations, it was found that the walls are held on the old foundation of the 6th century.

26. Park Nervi

Park area surrounding the town of Nervi and includes the surroundings and landscaped embankments. The main promenade of the park is a narrow strip between the rocks and the sea, which stretches for about 2 km. This is a great place for calm walks along the coast, for observing the sea elements and for relaxation. The park is very popular with tourists, so during the high season there can be many visitors.

27. Villeta Di Negro Park

Large park located in the city of Genoa. In the 16th century, a system of fortifications stood in its place, but later there was no need for them, and the territories were given over to green spaces. The park appeared thanks to the activities of the Marquis D.C. Di Negro, who first organized a botanical school here and brought the first plants. On the territory of the garden is the Museum of Oriental Art. Chiussone.

28. Promenade Corso Italy

Genoa's main promenade, which stretches for about 2.5 km. along the coast. The embankment acquired its modern architectural appearance in 1915. D. Carbone worked on the project. As a result of the reconstruction, the place became more comfortable - benches, new paths, gazebos appeared. Corso Italia has restaurants, bars, swimming pools, sports clubs and private beaches.

29. Anita Garibaldi Embankment

The main promenade of the Nevi Park, which stretches along the rocky coast. On the promenade there are several places where you can go down the stairs directly to the sea. Many tourists sunbathe and relax right on the coastal rocks. The embankment is dotted with sharp capes and rocky ledges, overgrown with typical Mediterranean vegetation. This is a picturesque place, perfect for relaxation.

30. Montaldo lookout point

Montaldo is considered one of the most beautiful places in Genoa. From here, a stunning view of the city quarters opens up. In the 13th century, the Castelletto fortress stood on the site of the square, but it was demolished in the middle of the 19th century. Monatldo can be reached using a special elevator from 1910, which is a separate attraction in itself. Alternatively, you can use the Chirkonwallacione a Monte road.

Here was born Cristoforo Colombo. Therefore, any Genoese will point to the house where the great traveler grew up. There is also a palace where Marco Polo languished in prison, and in the Old Port you can see one of the largest aquariums in the world and a very old lighthouse.

The main street of the city is Piazza De Ferrari. It got its name thanks to Duke Raffaele De Ferrari. So the Genoese immortalized the famous diplomat, financier and benefactor.

In earlier times, the square was smaller and adjacent to the monastery and the temple of St. Domenic. When the city was captured by Napoleon, barracks and warehouses were equipped in the monastery complex. That is why, by the beginning of the nineteenth century, the monastery and the church had become so dilapidated that the authorities decided to dismantle the temple and reconstruct the square.

By 1828 the area was transformed. The square acquired a square shape, expanded significantly, and new buildings appeared. In front of the opera house, in 1879, a bronze monument was erected depicting Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument on horseback.

In 1936, a large round-shaped fountain, Fontana di Piaggio, was installed on the Piazza De Ferrari. It was named after the family that sponsored the construction. The former building of the Stock Exchange is located behind the fountain. A few years ago, a Ferrari metro station was opened on the square.

The houses of Piazza De Ferrari are also interesting. Previously, it housed the oldest stock exchange in Italy (closed in 1998), there are also attractions such as the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Teatro Carlo Felice and other interesting houses.

Teatro Carlo Felice

Teatro Carlo Felice is the main theater of Genova, built on the site of the former monastery complex and the temple of San Domenico. The opening of the landmark took place in 1828. The name of the opera house immortalized the ruler of Genoa, Duke Carlo Felice di Savoia. For forty winters, Giuseppe Verdi staged performances here.

The Second World War severely destroyed the opera, and the Genoese could not restore the theater for a long time. Refurbishment work began in 1987, designed by Aldo Rossi and completed four years later. The facade and some interior details were preserved.

Now Teatro Carlo Felice is considered one of the most spacious in Europe: it is designed for two thousand spectators.

Doge's palace

The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale), which is known as the Doge's Palace, is the oldest building in the square. The main façade is in Piazza Matteotti, while the side wall overlooks Ferrari. They lived in the house of the Doji until the end of the eighteenth century, when Bonaparte abolished this position.

Built at the beginning of the thirteenth century, during the heyday of Genoa, commissioned by the ship captains Oberto Spinola and Corrado Doria. They purchased several houses, ordered to demolish and erect a new building in their place. Then a palace with a tower located next to the building was added to it. In 1339, the first doge of Genoa, Simon Boccanegra, settled in the palace.

Since then, Palazzo Ducale has been rebuilt many times, so it combines styles from different eras. Consists of several buildings, inside which there is a huge number of galleries, graceful courtyards, walkways, towers. Attention is drawn to marble columns, arched vaults, a monumental staircase. There is a Great and Small Council Hall, a chapel, a prison, where the violinist Niccolò Paganini languished for some time.

Now the Ducal Palace is a museum. Exhibitions, cultural events are constantly held here, and meetings are organized at the highest level.

The Palace of the Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti) is located to the right of Teatro Carlo Felice, at number five. Designed the building project by Carlo Barabino in 1825.

At the bottom of the academy, there is a museum displaying works by Donatode Bardi, Orazio De Ferrari, Serafino De Tivoli and other artists. Paintings, ceramics, marble and bronze sculptures and other exhibits are exhibited here.

Port

The port of Genoa is located between northern Italy and southern Europe. That is why it is very convenient for sailors, businessmen, politicians.

The port stretches along the coast for twenty two kilometers and has four entrances: east, west, Multedo and Voltri. There are many terminals here, each of which is designed to receive ships of a certain type. There are berths in the port for both commodity and passenger ships, as well as for private ships.

The old port is of interest to tourists. There is a thousand-year-old lighthouse, a huge city aquarium, the Maritime Museum, and the Biosphere Botanical Garden. After the filming of Roman Polanski's film Pirates, a three-masted frigate was left here, attracting the attention of both children and adults. The Maritime Museum of the Mediterranean Sea is also interesting, the exhibits of which tell about the entire history of navigation, from rowboats to modern ships.

And you can see all this if you rise above the port on the Bigo lift. Its design is designed so that it rotates three hundred and sixty degrees.

Piazza Caricamento

Piazza Caricamento is considered the center of the Old Port. It is located fifteen minutes walk from Ferrari Square.

The most famous palace in the square is the Palazzo San Giorgio. The house was built in the XIII century. for the uncle of the first Doge of Genoa, Captain Guglielmo Boccanegra. When the captain was sent into exile, the house became a prison, the most famous prisoner of which was Marco Polo: he was captured here when he fought with the Genoese. Here, with his words, the Italian writer Rusticiano wrote stories about the adventures of the traveler, who was sitting with him in prison.

Lighthouse La Lanterna

The Lanterna lighthouse is located fifteen minutes walk from the Dinegro metro station. It is the symbol of the city and the highest lighthouse in the Mediterranean: the height of La Lanterna is 77 m, and 375 steps lead up. It is also very old: the history of the lighthouse began in 1128.

Lanterna was built on the hill of San Benigno, far outside the city limits, and it illuminated the way for ships that were coming from France. To keep the fire going, the keepers used firewood, mostly from dry juniper. Money for the maintenance of the lighthouse and the maintenance of its work was allocated by the Genoese from the tax, which they took from ships for mooring in the port of the city. Two centuries later, the Genoese installed a lamp powered by olive oil on the tower. Thanks to this, the ships saw the light of the lighthouse better.

The lighthouse not only illuminated the road, but also served as a defensive fortification in the struggle between the clans. Therefore, he was often under siege. That is why in 1326 the inhabitants of Genoa dug a protective trench around the tower to reduce the likelihood of any of the warring parties entering the lighthouse.

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, Lanterna was rebuilt, after which the lighthouse became also a prison. Here they held hostage to the Cypriot king Jean II de Lusignan (fr. Jean II de Lusignan) with his wife, who unsuccessfully tried to free Cyprus from the Genoese trade dependence.

During the war with the French, the lighthouse was badly damaged, but already in 1543 the Genoese restored the tower. In the seventeenth century, the lighthouse was incorporated into the gradually expanding city. In the eighteenth, rotating Fresnel lenses were installed on it. At the beginning of the twentieth century, electricity was brought here.

The last major reconstruction was done after the end of the Second World War, during which the lighthouse was badly damaged. Now, next to the tower there is a museum, where you can get acquainted with the history of the city, the port, see items and archives related to sea navigation. Among the exhibits are Fenchel lenses, having studied which, one can understand the scheme of the lighthouse.

Galata Maritime Museum

The Galata Maritime Museum (Galata Museo del Mare) is located in the Old Port. The exact address: Calata De Mari, 1. The exhibition center covers an area of \u200b\u200b10 thousand m2, and therefore it is one of the largest museums in the Mediterranean.

Among the exhibits are reconstructions of medieval shipyards, models of ships, navigational maps, instruments. There are globes, paintings, ancient weapons, and even monsters from medieval books. The tour is accompanied by visual and sound effects that convey the atmosphere of the place. Much attention is paid to Christopher Columbus, a native of these lands.

There is a submarine near the building, which can be accessed for a fee. There is also a brigantine from the seventeenth century, which allows you to understand the structure of the ships of those times.

For numerous visitors, there is a terrace at the top of the museum, which offers views of the city, port and the Gulf of Genoa.

Aquarium

The largest aquarium in Italy is located in Genoa. It is called Acquario di Genova and occupies an area of \u200b\u200b3100 m2, while inside the building almost 10 thousand m2 is available for visiting. The attraction is located in the Old Port, on the Ponte Spinola pier. It was built in 1992 in honor of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

The building was designed as a ship ready for launch. A few years later, it was expanded by attaching a hundred-meter ship, which is connected to the main building via a bridge.

Inside the aquarium, there are seventy aquariums and pools where sea and river inhabitants (sharks, dolphins, octopuses, turtles, jellyfish) live. In addition to them, amphibians and reptiles live in the Aquarium.

When visiting Acquario di Genova, you need to know that you can take pictures inside, but only without a flash. Otherwise, you can harm the sea inhabitants.

Biosphere

Botanical garden Biosphere (La Biosfera) is located near the Aquarium.

It is a huge glass sphere with an imitation of a tropical forest inside. Here not only plants grow, but also birds, iguanas, butterflies, parrots live. Piranhas live in the brook.

The tour takes a maximum of ten minutes. This time is enough to go around the garden along the path.

Churches

There are many churches in Genoa and each of them is a masterpiece: the designs of the buildings were developed by the best architects, and designed by eminent masters. Therefore, the paintings, sculptures, frescoes of Genoese temples are amazing.

Chiesa del Gesù e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea can be found in Piazza Matteotti. One of the buildings of the temple overlooks the Piazza De Ferrari.

The beginning of construction dates back to the sixth century: it was then that a church was erected here by a Milan bishop who fled to Genoa during the persecution. The church passed to the Jesuits in the middle of the sixteenth century. They remodeled the temple and decorated it with paintings by Rubens, Giovanni Merano, Giovanni Carlone and other artists of the 16th-17th centuries.

The façade of the temple had to be rebuilt again at the end of the nineteenth century after the passage between it and the Doge's Palace was destroyed. When developing a new project, the craftsmen used Rubens's sketches. After the completion of the work, the sculptures of Andrei and Ambrose were installed on the facade.

The Temple of San Lorenzo (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo) was erected on Piazza San Lorenzo, one hundred and fifty meters from Piazza De Ferrari. The temple is named in honor of the martyr St. Lorenzo, who died by death, at the place of whose burial a chapel was first erected, and at the beginning of the twelfth century they began to build a cathedral.

Although the Pope consecrated the basilica as early as 1118, construction lasted three centuries, which is why the building, conceived in the Romanesque style, received other features. The façade of the church is an example of French Gothic. It has three entrances, faced with two-tone marble, which symbolized the nobility and emphasized the nobility.

Upstairs there are two bell towers:

The right one, sixty meters high, was completed in 1522 and decorated in the Renaissance style. There are seven bells installed here;
The left bell tower was never completed: a loggia appeared instead.

Inside the cathedral there are columns, paintings, frescoes, statues of famous masters. The church has a chapel of St. John the Baptist (Giovanni Battista), decorated with statues of masters of the XV-XVI centuries. The relics of the saint are kept here.

In the right nave, a bomb is seen that pierced the roof of the temple during the Second World War. The fact that the projectile did not explode testifies to God's Power.

In the basement of the temple, there is a treasury-museum, which was founded in the middle of the last century. Various shrines can be seen here. Among them is a dish on which Salome was offered the severed head of John the Baptist in gratitude for the dance. There is also a cup from which, according to legend, Jesus drank at the Last Supper (they brought the relic here in the tenth century).

The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is located on the Piazza della Nunziata. There used to be a monastery with a small church that was built by the Umiliates in 1228. Three centuries later, the monastery complex passed to the Franciscans, who erected a new church in its place.

The construction of the temple began in 1520. The building was conceived in the Gothic style, which distinguished it from other buildings of the Renaissance. But after the walls were erected, the construction was stopped: the temple passed to the Franciscans from another order. At that time, at the Tridenst Cathedral, they adopted provisions on church architecture, and it turned out that the built basilica did not correspond to them. Therefore, the monks were obliged to rebuild it in style.

The order did not have such money, so the brothers turned to the Lomellini family, the richest family in Genoa, for help. Lomellini was given money on the condition that their family chapel would be located here.

Upon completion of the construction, the basilica was completely transformed: the project turned out to be so gorgeous that it is considered one of the most significant Baroque creations. The brothers Carlone, Andrea Ansaldo, Domenico Casella worked on the decoration of the temple.

Although the basilica was seriously damaged during the Second World War, the Genoese quickly restored the church - and now it looks no less magnificent than in previous years.

Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta is the only temple in Genoa designed as a cross inscribed in a square. The basilica can be found on the Carignano hill on Via Alghero. Along the edges of the temple there are two bell towers with five bells. The facade is decorated with sculptures of the seventeenth century: the Assumption of the Virgin is depicted above the portal, Peter and Paul are on the sides.

The construction of the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady began in 1552 and was completed half a century later. A hundred years later, it was allowed to hold a bishop's service here, because of which a number of changes had to be made to the basilica. The work dragged on for two centuries: from the inside, the temple was decorated with stucco, gilding, paintings, sculptors of eminent masters.

Since the temple was erected in the center of the city, many religious activities take place here. Important memorial events are often held in the sacristy. So, in the seventies and nineties of the last century, they mourned the victims of terrorism, and also buried Fabrizio De André, the famous Italian singer.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria di Castello can be found on Via di Santa Maria di Castello 15. A church was built on a hill instead of a destroyed Roman fortress in 900 AD. The basilica was rebuilt in the twelfth century. When it became Dominican property three centuries later, a monastery appeared near the temple.

And if from the outside the church of Santa Maria di Castello looks modest, beauty is hidden inside. Here are amazing sculptures, frescoes, paintings, relief images, paintings by great masters. Among them - Francesco Maria Schiaffino, Francesco Boccaccino, Lorenzo Fasolo.

You can also see majolica (this is the name for a type of painted ceramics, which is made from fired clay). On the upper tier is a marble ark attributed to Domenico Gagini.

The most important relic of the Church of Santa Maria di Castello is considered the sculpture of Christ, the so-called. Cristo Moro, brought here from Palestine. It was made of dark wood, the cross was replaced with the Tree of Life. Recently, the statue was restored and it acquired its original appearance. In the old days, it was hidden under a large number of layers: at first the statue was painted, then silvered, and other changes were made. A copy of what happened can be seen in the adjacent chapel.

Museums

A special tourist card has been developed for tourists, which allows you to significantly save on visiting museums in Genoa. It is called Card Musei di Genova and is valid for twenty-four or forty-eight hours. The card gives the opportunity to get into many museums of the city free of charge or with benefits from ten to forty percent.

Which sights you can visit are indicated in the brochure that is attached to the map. At the same time, you should be aware that the card allows you to visit each exhibition center only once. The time and date of activation is not taken into account from the moment of purchase, but from the time of visiting the museum.

Thanks to the card, it will be cheaper to purchase tickets to the theater, a bus tour of the city, and a rest in a cafe. E if a tourist buys a combination card, it will provide him / her with free public transport. The difference is small: the cost of a simple card for one day is twelve euros, and a combined one is one and a half euros more. The Card Musei di Genova price is sixteen euros, the combined price is twenty.

Official site: www.visitgenoa.it/it/card

Royal Palace Museum is located at Via Balbi, 10... This house conveys the spirit of the family that lived there so well that it seems as if it is still inhabited.

The Royal Palace was built in the seventeenth century for the Balbi family. Then it came into the possession of the influential Durazzo family, nine of which were the Doges of the Republic of Genoa. In 1824 the palace became the residence of the kings of Savoy. Thanks to this, the house became more respectable: the interior was changed, expensive furniture appeared. A hundred years later, the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele III) handed over the Royal Palace to the state.

The Royal Palace in Genoa was badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War. But the Italians quickly restored it, and therefore it is open to everyone.

The visitor of the museum can enter the Throne, Ballroom, Hall of Mirrors. Rooms where kings lived, various sculptures, graceful chandeliers, luxurious furniture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries - all this gives an indescribable look to the palace.

One of the galleries houses paintings by famous artists. Among them - the creations of the Genoese masters Luca Giordano, Antoon van Dyck (Dutch. Antoon van Dyck), Ferdinand Voet (Ferdinand Voet).

In the hanging garden of the Royal Palace, exotic flowers and plants grow, pebble paths are laid on which animals are laid out from pebbles. The royal terrace offers a magnificent view of Genoa and the bay.

Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola is located on Piazza di Pellicceria 1. It was arranged in a palace, which at the end of the 16th century. built by the Grimaldi family. The palace was owned by various aristocratic families until the Spinola brothers donated the house to the city in order to open a museum in it.

This was done in 1958 by equipping the National Gallery: renaissance works of art look great with the architecture of the palace. That is why the attraction is considered one of the most beautiful museums in Genoa, as the halls are furnished in the style of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, furniture and other interior items have been preserved. Among others, the Mirror Gallery attracts attention.

Visitors can see paintings by Rubens, Antoon van Dyck, Il Grechetto and other great masters. The collections of ceramics and majolica are interesting. There is a hall in the palace dedicated to fashion: here you can see old velvet, corduroy, printed fabrics. Samples of lace, suits, dresses attract attention.

The Museum of World Culture (Museo delle Culturo del Mondo) is located in the castle-fortress Castello d'Albertis on Corso Dogali street. It was erected by Captain Enrico Alberto d'Albertis at the end of the nineteenth century on the site of the destroyed city walls. Therefore, here you can see the remains of the bastion and other structures of those times. And since the palace is on a hill, visitors have a magnificent view of the city center.

After the death of the captain, the castle was transferred to the city along with ethnographic, marine, archaeological material that he collected during his travels.

There are many books, photographs, musical instruments, boats, costumes. Interesting crafts from ostrich eggs that d'Albertis brought from Australia, as well as jewelry, ornaments, toys, furniture of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. The museum of ethnic music is located in the same house.

Archaeological Museum of Liguria

It houses exhibits from prehistoric times to the period of the Roman Empire, which were found in the lands of Liguria. The Egyptian collection and the Roman collection of marble products are also interesting.

The villa is surrounded by a park. This is the botanical garden of the Marquise of Durazzo, where orchids, camellias, palms, bananas, ferns grow. There is a site dedicated to aquatic plants. An interesting greenhouse, the shape of which resembles a train. There are many carnivorous plants growing here.

The Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone) is located at Piazzale Mazzini, 4. It houses fifteen thousand exhibits collected by Edoardo Chiossone (Edoardo Chiossone). He lived and died in Japan, bequeathed to send the exhibits he collected home.
At first, the collection was housed in the Ligustica di Belle Arti academy: the exhibition opened in 1905.

Forty years later, the authorities decided to build a special building for the oriental exhibits. This is how the Villa di Negro (Villetta Di Negro) appeared in 1971 - an avant-garde building in the middle of an existing park. On the ground floor of the building, a rectangular hall was made, and galleries, connected by flights of stairs, stretch along the walls. A roof terrace was installed.

Since then, the collection has been replenished many times, and therefore it is one of the largest collections in Europe. Here you can see Japanese Buddhist sculptures, bronze bells, mirrors, artifacts created before our era. Weapons, armor, metal sculptures are interesting.

The Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giocomo Doria is located in via Brigata Liguria... The museum was founded in 1867 thanks to the representative of one of the most revered dynasties in Genoa, Giacomo Doria. During numerous expeditions, he collected a huge number of insects and other representatives of the animal world and presented them to the city. At the same time, Genoa received a paleontological and geological collection as a gift.

As a result, the city decided to found a museum, which currently has four million exhibits collected from all over the world. The first director was Giacomo Doria.

Here you can see various fossils, stuffed mammals, birds, snakes. The huge skeleton of a mammoth and the remains of other animals that have not survived to this day are striking. The collection of insects here is huge, there are also specimens of interesting plants.

Houses and palaces

Each house and palace in the historical part of Genoa can tell its own amazing story. Some people are still inhabited, while others are equipped with museums. Against their background, the house where Christopher Columbus once lived, the prince's villa, as well as the Rollie palaces stand out.

Every tourist visiting Genoa must see the Casa di Colombo, which is located on Piazza Dante 4. Although it is not known exactly where the great navigator was born, the Genoese believe that Christopher Columbus lived here until 1470 (born in 1451).

The house itself is not particularly impressive and looks a little gloomy. The attraction is a two-story building entwined with ivy. They are allowed inside only by special agreement or on October 12, the day of the celebration of World Columbus Day.

In the old days, the Columbus House was three-story. There were three rooms on each tier. On the ground floor, Christopher's father set up a workshop: he was in charge of the weaving workshop. The remaining floors were at the disposal of the family.

In the seventeenth century, the building was almost completely destroyed when the French shelled the city, but the Genoese restored the house. Inside the building, fragments of walls have survived from the beginning of construction, and in the basement, archaeologists have discovered the foundation of a building dating back to the sixth century.

Princely villa

The Palazzo di Andrea Doria, also known as the Villa del Principe, can be found at piazza del Principe, 4. Previously, it was located outside the city walls, and only eventually ended up within the city.

The house was built by Andrea Doria, who was popular with the Genoese, and in 1528 he was chosen by the Doge. He also received the title of prince for his merits, which is why the house was nicknamed princely. The palace looked gorgeous, it was decorated with sculptures, frescoes, tapestries. The house was so luxurious that even Emperor Charles V stayed here. Now it houses a museum.

They built a house at the foot of a hill near the sea. You can get to the villa through a portal decorated with the coat of arms of the Doria family. Along its edges are figures symbolizing Abundance and Peace.

The main staircase is decorated with geometric patterns and grotesque paintings. On the walls of the rooms there are murals, stucco moldings, paintings. Old furniture and interior elements are everywhere. The gold gallery was used for audience. In it you can see gilded wooden sculptures and family portraits.

In front of the building, there is an Italian-style park. It can be accessed from the house through an arched gallery. In the middle of the park is a fountain with a sculpture of Neptune, which appeared here at the end of the sixteenth century. Previously, through the garden, you could go down to the sea, where there was a private pier of Andrea Doria. Now there is a motorway between the house and the sea, and the sea terminal is located nearby.

Rollie palaces

Rolli Palaces (Palazzi dei Rolli) is a quarter of palaces, which is the first project in the history of Europe, which was built according to a pre-approved plan. The houses are located on the street. Garibaldi (via Garibaldi) and its surroundings. Here, on a small plot, the aristocrats built more than 40 palaces. Since there was not enough space, the owners erected houses not in width, but in height. In 1576, the Senate of the Republic ordered the owners of the palaces to receive foreign delegations in the palaces.

In 2006, the landmark was included in the UNESCO list.

The most famous houses of Garibaldi Street are considered to be the palaces, where the art gallery is equipped:

Palazzo Rosso or Red Palace, located at via Garibaldi, 18. In addition to the paintings, the painted canvases also attract attention. On the roof of the building there is a platform with a view of the city;
Palazzo Rosso or White Palace, located at number eleven. Near the palace there is a hanging garden with a pond;
Palazzo Doria-Tursi, located at number nine. Here are not only paintings, but also Paganini's personal belongings, including the famous violin Canon, ancient coins and ceramics.

Rollie Palaces include the Royal Palace. It is located, however, on a nearby street, at Via Balbi, 10 and is also a museum.

University of Genoa

The University of Genoa (Università degli Studi di Genova) was founded in 1481. Its main building is located in the palace at via Balbi, 5. It has about forty thousand students and two thousand research workers.

The building was built in 1640. Since then, its architecture and interior decor have changed little. The architecture of the building and its interior design are a combination of the attributes of modernity and baroque: computers, cabinets, shelves are perfectly combined with antique statues, frescoes, and stucco moldings.

The monumental cemetery of Staglieno (Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno) resembles an open-air sculpture museum. The figures here seem to be alive: every gesture, look is filled with feeling, and you do not just look at them, but understand everything they want to say.

The Staglieno cemetery is located on a hill on the outskirts of Genoa. Exact address: Piazzale Resasco. The construction of the necropolis took place in the forties and fifties of the nineteenth century. The cemetery, designed for 60 thousand graves, was developed by Carlo Barabino. True, the students were finishing the project: the life of the architect was carried away by the plague that broke out in the city.

Right in front of the entrance to the cemetery is a huge statue of Venus. Behind it is a copy of the Pantheon with a marble staircase of seventy-seven steps. Covered galleries lead from the Pantheon in different directions, where crypts of the rich and famous are arranged. And not only on the sides: the floor of the galleries is also laid out with tombstones. Each grave here is a unique sculptural composition. There are angels, and grieving women, and entire families gathered at the bedside of the departed. Since the day of its opening, the cemetery has expanded, and there are 2 million graves on an area of \u200b\u200b33 hectares.

City fortifications

- the main gate, which is located three hundred meters south of Ferrari Square on the Piazza Dante (five hundred meters is the house of Columbus). The gates are open to visitors and the tourist can climb the spiral staircase to the observation deck of the tower;
Porta dei vacca - located from Ferrari Square at a distance of nine hundred meters in the northwest direction.

In the fourteenth century, the walls were extended southeastward to the west side of the Carignano hill. The length of the fortifications was 4.5 km, which made it possible to protect an area of \u200b\u200b155 hectares from the enemy. These walls quickly became obsolete: weapons appeared that could pierce them.

Therefore, two centuries later, they were updated and strengthened. The Porta Siberia gate appeared on via del Molo, which is an example of military architecture of the Renaissance. They are located eight hundred meters from Ferrari Square to the west. Another gate of those times appeared five hundred meters southeast of Piazza De Ferrari. They are called the gates of the Arches (Porta degli Archi).

The last line of fortifications is known as the New Wall (Mura Nuove). The walls were erected in the twenties and thirties of the seventeenth century to protect against the troops of the Duke of Savoy and the French king. The length of the ring of fortifications was twenty kilometers, of which seven were along the coastline. This made it possible to protect an area of \u200b\u200bnine hundred hectares. In a hundred years after the start of the construction of Mura Nuove, the Genoese built 16 forts and 95 bastions, many of which are visible to travelers who come to Genoa from the sea.

Parks

There are many parks and botanical gardens in Genoa. Therefore, the Genoese and guests of the city, wandering along the ancient streets, may well relax in nature. A feature of Genoa's parks is that many of them are located in villas where museums are located. The park that is located directly next to the old city walls is also interesting. The city is not devoid of municipal parks.

At the end of the twentieth century, along the line of the fortification walls of Mura Nuove, the Genoese discovered the Parco delle Mura Natural Park, which covers an area of \u200b\u200b617 hectares. Nine hundred species of plants grow here, birds and animals live, many of which are endemic, therefore protected by law. Thanks to this, the Genoese call the park the meeting place of the city and nature.

You can walk through the park, or you can cross it by cable car. The route lies high above sea level and the traveler has a magnificent view of the mountains, forests, pastures, towers, city walls.

The Villetta di Negro Park surrounds the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art. In front of its entrance there is a statue dedicated to Giuseppe Mazzini.

The park is located on a hill, so there are many paths leading up. Tourists who come here from the noisy streets of the city seem to find themselves in another world: here are grottoes with waterfalls, clean air, aviaries with exotic birds. The hill overlooks Genoa and the lush vegetation of the park (palms, cedars, sequoias, pines).

The park appeared thanks to the Marquis Gian Carlo Di Negro, who at the beginning of the nineteenth century built a villa on a hill overlooking Piazza Corvetto. There was a botanical park near the villa, where gazebos, artificial ponds, and a waterfall were installed. When the Marquis died, the city acquired the villa and park from his heirs in order to build several museums there.

Park del Aquazola

The city park of Del Akuasola (Spianata dell'acquasola) is located on a hill. The exact address is 4 Viale Novembre. One part of the Parque del Aquazola is bordered by a fourteenth century fortress wall.

The construction of Spianata dell'acquasola began in the twenties of the nineteenth century. It was then that the La porta dell'Olivella gate was included in it.

The park is a favorite vacation spot for the Genoese: there are football fields, tennis courts, roller-skating, and track and field tracks. There is an opportunity to relax near the artificial lakes where swans and ducks swim, or to walk along the alleys that are laid along the trees.

How to get there

You can get to Genoa by train: there are two city railway stations - Genova Principe and Genova Brignole. Eurostar and Intercity trains come here from various parts of Italy and Europe.

We recommend: how to buy a ticket in Italy yourself.

Traveling by train is also interesting because on the square near Genova Principe, which is called Piazza Acquaverde, travelers are greeted by a monument to Christopher Columbus. An Indian girl sits at his feet, and on the pedestal is a high relief depicting a council in Salamanca, where Columbus convinces those present about the expediency of his voyage.

You can fly to the city by plane: six kilometers from the center is the international airport. Christopher Columbus (Aeroporto di Genova-Cristoforo Colombo). It is interesting because it is located on an artificial peninsula. After landing, you can get to the center by minibus, taxi or pre-order a car.

A magnificent view of Genoa will open to the traveler if he arrives by sea: ships come here from all the major ports of the Mediterranean Sea. From here, you can, if you wish, go on a cruise, take a ferry to neighboring cities, or book a boat tour along the coast.

The sights of Italian Genoa (Genova) attract tourists with their picturesque beauty and unique architecture. Labyrinths of narrow streets, fortress walls, graceful palaces, churches, will not leave indifferent even many tourists. Here was born Cristoforo Colombo. Therefore, any Genoese will point to the house where the great traveler grew up. There is also a palace where Marco Polo languished in prison, and in the Old Port you can see one of the largest aquariums in the world and a very old lighthouse.

Genoa (Italian Genova) is a city in Italy, the main city of the province of Genoa and the region of Liguria. Population - 604.8 thousand people (2012), the sixth largest city in the country. Forms the agglomeration of Great Genoa with a population of over 800 thousand people. Located in northern Italy, on the shores of the Genoa Gulf of the Ligurian Sea. It stretches out in a narrow strip for more than 30 km, bounded on both sides by the sea and the Apennine mountains. Center of the Ligurian Riviera.

The largest seaport in Italy; Christopher Columbus International Airport; subway. The historic center is adjacent to the old port. In ancient times - a settlement of the Ligurs, conquered by the Romans in the III century BC. e. Since the 11th century, it has been active in trade in the Mediterranean; thanks to participation in the crusades, it turned into a powerful Genoese republic with numerous overseas colonies. After the defeat in the war with Venice and the shift of trade routes to the Atlantic Ocean in the XIV-XVI centuries, it fell into decay, losing its independence in 1797.

The origin of the name "Genoa" is explained by different versions: 1) Celtic GENUA - "entrance, passage"; 2) Kainua (Etruscan) - a new city; 3) Janua - gate, door; 4) Latin GENUS (gonu) - "knee", by analogy with the bend of the sea coast, resembling a knee - this version is given in the English-language Wikipedia; 5) Latin JANUS (Giano), named after the two-faced god looking forward and backward, into the future and the past. 6) The ancient Celtic word Genaua means “mouth, mouth”, since the city was founded at the flood of the Bisanio mountain stream, on the bank of the Ligurian seas. Archaeological excavations indicate that a Celtic-Ligurian settlement was founded here in the Iron Age. Genaua was interpreted by the Etruscans as Genova, as it is written in Italian. Genoa is called Zena in the Ligurian dialect, and this word can often be seen in the city on posters, bags, etc. The name "Genoa" has penetrated into the Russian language, apparently, from the German Genua.

The earliest wall of medieval Genoa, which has survived to this day - mura del Barbarossa, appeared in the middle of the twelfth century (there were seven lines of fortifications). It had three gates through which one could get into the city. Two of them have survived to this day. In the fourteenth century, the walls were extended southeast to Carignano hill to the west. The length of the fortifications was 4.5 km, which made it possible to protect an area of \u200b\u200b155 hectares from the enemy. These walls quickly became obsolete: weapons appeared that could pierce them.

Brignole train station

Piazza Principe train station

Jesuit Church of Saints Ambrose and Andrew

The façade of the temple had to be rebuilt again at the end of the nineteenth century after the passage between it and the Doge's Palace was destroyed. When developing a new project, the craftsmen used Rubens's sketches. After the completion of the work, the sculptures of Andrei and Ambrose were installed on the facade.

Bank San Giorgio is considered one of the first financial institutions of this type in the world. It was established in 1407 by the money changers' guild. Over time, his influence became so great that he credited the kings of Spain and owned the colonies of Genoa in the Crimea and Corsica. Yet his most famous client was the navigator Christopher Columbus.

At one time, the bank even controlled the Genoese fleet. The four consuls who stood at the head of the Bank of San Giorgio were related or friends with the most powerful aristocratic families of Genoa. The famous bank existed for almost 400 years - until 1805, when Napoleon invaded Italy. The French emperor could not tolerate independent (from him) banking structures and immediately closed this "shop". Today, the Palazzo San Giorgio is home to the city's port authority.

Portello Square

Temple of the Assumption of Our Lady

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta is the only temple in Genoa designed as a cross inscribed in a square. Along the edges of the temple there are two bell towers with five bells. The facade is decorated with sculptures of the seventeenth century: the Assumption of the Virgin is depicted above the portal, Peter and Paul are on the sides. The construction of the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady began in 1552 and was completed half a century later.

A hundred years later, it was allowed to hold a bishop's service here, because of which a number of changes had to be made to the basilica. The work dragged on for two centuries: from the inside, the temple was decorated with stucco, gilding, paintings, sculptors of eminent masters. Since the temple was erected in the center of the city, many religious activities take place here. Important memorial events are often held in the sacristy. So, in the seventies and nineties of the last century, they mourned the victims of terrorism.

Garibaldi street

Porta Soprana street

Monument to Christopher Columbus. An Indian girl sits at his feet, and on the pedestal is a high relief depicting a council in Salamanca, on which Columbus convinces those present about the expediency of his voyage.

Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta

This square is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the city. The most notable monument on it is the statue of the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, who is proudly riding on a horse.

Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

Caricamento Square

Zekk Square

Basilica della Santissima Annunziata

Basilica della Santissima Annunziata, interior

Street XX September

Mazzini Gallery

Basilica of Santa Maria Immacolata

Loggia dei Mercanti

Palazzo doria tursi

Palazzi dei Rolli (Italian: Palazzi dei Rolli) - a quarter of palaces of the Genoese aristocracy, built in the era of Mannerism, declared a World Heritage Site in 2006. This is the first project of centralized urban development in European history, carried out in accordance with a previously approved plan (owned by Galeazzo Alessi). More than forty palaces are cramped on a rather narrow plot of land, which forced the owners to build them up. In 1576, the Republican Senate obliged the owners of the palazzo to provide hospitality to delegations of foreign countries. Palazzo dei Rolli, as an example of an innovative urban planning solution, aroused genuine interest of foreigners visiting Genoa, not excluding Rubens. The experience of building this aristocratic quarter was used during the redevelopment of Paris, conceived by Henry IV and his minister Sully (see Place des Vosges).

Palazzo doria spinola

Palazzo Spinola in Pellicceria

Palace of the Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti). Designed by Carlo Barabino in 1825. At the bottom of the academy, there is a museum displaying works by Donatode Bardi, Orazio De Ferrari, Serafino De Tivoli and other artists. Paintings, ceramics, marble and bronze sculptures and other exhibits are exhibited here.

Since 1824, the palace was the official residence of the kings of Savoy, who further adorned this Baroque splendor, bringing here expensive furniture and art objects. Not without extensions in the form of additional apartments. In 1919, the king of the united Italy, Victor-Emmanuel III, ceded the palace to the state. Since 1922, the Committee for the Architectural and Landscape Heritage of Liguria has been based here on the "drunken nobile". Today, the restored palace is open to the public. Once inside, it is interesting to look at the main objects of pride of its former owners - the Throne Room, the Ballroom and the Hall of Mirrors, built, of course, in imitation of the French Versailles. And also visit the personal apartments of the Savoyard dynasty, which owned the palace for a hundred years. Also, part of the former royal chambers is given over to an art gallery with an excellent collection of 17th century paintings - also, as you know, Baroque. Another "feature" of the palace is the same hanging garden with exotic plants, which overlooks the sea. Walking along it, pay attention to pebble paths with beautiful mosaics depicting sea horses and other outlandish animals.

Church of Santo Stefano

The main street of the city is Piazza De Ferrari. It got its name thanks to Duke Raffaele De Ferrari. So the Genoese immortalized the famous diplomat, financier and benefactor.

In 1936, a large round-shaped fountain, Fontana di Piaggio, was installed on the Piazza De Ferrari. It was named after the family that sponsored the construction. The former building of the Stock Exchange is located behind the fountain.

Plaza de Ferrari

San Matteo square

Teatro Carlo Felice

Monument to Garibaldi In front of the opera house in 1879, a bronze monument was erected depicting Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument on horseback.

Church of San Pietro in Banks

Doge's Palace The Palazzo Ducale, known as the Doge's Palace, is the oldest structure in the square. The main façade is in Piazza Matteotti, while the side wall overlooks Ferrari. They lived in the house of the Doji until the end of the eighteenth century, when Bonaparte abolished this position.

Since then, Palazzo Ducale has been rebuilt many times, so it combines styles from different eras. Consists of several buildings, within which there is a huge number of galleries, graceful courtyards, walkways, towers. Attention is drawn to marble columns, arched vaults, a monumental staircase. There is a Great and Small Council Hall, a chapel, a prison, where the violinist Niccolò Paganini languished for some time. Now the Ducal Palace is a museum. Exhibitions, cultural events are constantly held here, and meetings are organized at the highest level.

Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone). It houses fifteen thousand exhibits collected by Edoardo Chiossone (Edoardo Chiossone). He lived and died in Japan, bequeathed to send the exhibits he collected home. At first, the collection was housed in the Ligustica di Belle Arti academy: the exhibition opened in 1905. Forty years later, the authorities decided to build a special building for oriental exhibits. This is how the Villa di Negro (Villetta Di Negro) appeared in 1971 - an avant-garde building in the middle of an existing park. On the ground floor of the building, a rectangular hall was made, and galleries, connected by flights of stairs, stretch along the walls. A roof terrace was installed. Since then, the collection has been replenished many times, and therefore it is one of the largest collections in Europe. Here you can see Japanese Buddhist sculptures, bronze bells, mirrors, artifacts created before our era. Weapons, armor, metal sculptures are interesting.

The Archaeological Museum of Liguria (Museo di Archeologia Ligure) is located in the Villa Durazzo Pallavicini at Via Pallavicini. The villa was built in the middle of the nineteenth century by the architect Michele Canzio, who worked on the scenery for the Carlo Felice Theater. It houses exhibits from prehistoric times to the period of the Roman Empire, which were found in the lands of Liguria. The Egyptian collection and the Roman collection of marble products are also interesting.

The villa is surrounded by a park. This is the botanical garden of the Marquise of Durazzo, where orchids, camellias, palms, bananas, ferns grow. There is a site dedicated to aquatic plants. An interesting greenhouse, the shape of which resembles a train. There are many carnivorous plants growing here.

Church of Santa Maria di Castello

A church was built on a hill instead of a destroyed Roman fortress in 900 AD. The basilica was rebuilt in the twelfth century. When it became Dominican property three centuries later, a monastery appeared near the temple. And if the outside of the Church of Santa Maria di Castello looks modest, inside is hidden beauty. Here are amazing sculptures, frescoes, paintings, relief images, paintings by great masters. Among them - Francesco Maria Schiaffino, Francesco Boccaccino, Lorenzo Fasolo.

You can also see majolica (this is the name for a type of painted ceramics, which is made from fired clay). On the upper tier is a marble ark attributed to Domenico Gagini. The most important relic of the Church of Santa Maria di Castello is considered the sculpture of Christ, the so-called. Cristo Moro, brought here from Palestine. It was made of dark wood, the cross was replaced with the Tree of Life. Recently, the statue was restored and it acquired its original appearance.

The Pope consecrated the basilica back in 1118, the construction lasted three centuries, which is why the building, conceived in the Romanesque style, received other features. The façade of the church is an example of French Gothic. It has three entrances, faced with two-tone marble, which symbolized the nobility and emphasized the nobility.

Cathedral of San Lorenzo The temple is named in honor of the martyr of St. Lorenzo, who died at the place of his burial, at first a chapel was erected, and at the beginning of the twelfth century they began to build a cathedral.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo, with its characteristic striped façade, is the main temple of the city and also the religious center of Genoa and all of Liguria. Before him, there were Roman fortifications, a cemetery, as well as two other Christian churches - first Saint Syrah, and then the Twelve Apostles. The main building of the new cathedral was built in the 12th century. But, as usual, over the course of several centuries, San Lorenzo has been rebuilt and expanded several times. By the 17th century, the main work was completed. By the way, the inside of the cathedral is also striped: plates of black marble alternate beautifully with white ones.

Once inside, you should pay attention to the frescoes on the walls and on the ceiling. Their temporal reach and varied stylistics are simply amazing. So, the earliest belong to the imitation of the famous Byzantine models (XIV century), and the latest - to the divisionist style of the early XX century (Gaetano Previati, "The Ascension of the Virgin"). Thousands of pilgrims flock to San Lorenzo every year, because it is here that the sarcophagus with the relics of John the Baptist is kept, delivered by Genoese merchants in 1098. True, you cannot touch the relics - they are placed inside the chapel throne.

Inside the cathedral there are columns, paintings, frescoes, statues of famous masters. The church has a chapel of St. John the Baptist (Giovanni Battista), decorated with statues of masters of the XV-XVI centuries. The relics of the saint are kept here.

In the basement of the temple, there is a treasury-museum, which was founded in the middle of the last century. Various shrines can be seen here. Among them is a dish on which Salome was offered the severed head of John the Baptist in gratitude for the dance. There is also a cup from which, according to legend, Jesus drank at the Last Supper (they brought the relic here in the tenth century).

Palazzo Rosso got its name for the amazing red color of the walls. The museum was created here thanks to the last owner of the building, who donated it to the city along with a collection of works of art. In addition to painting, visitors tend to see the frescoes that adorn the walls of the palace. Anthony Van Dyck worked in Genoa for several years, so it is not surprising that the portraits he painted of the then richest Brignole family in the city were included in this worthy collection of paintings.

Here you can also see paintings by Dürer, Veronese, Palma the Elder, Guido Reni, as well as works by representatives of the Baroque Genoese school and paintings by Spanish and Dutch authors of the 13th-16th centuries. Plus a collection of Chinese porcelain and French faience.

Palazzo Bianco

This magnificent palace was owned by the most famous families of Genoa, from Grimaldi to Brignole-Sale. Luca Grimaldi supervised its construction in 1530-1540. More than a hundred years later, he was bought by another rich Genoese family - De Franchi. At the beginning of the 18th century, the palazzo passed to the main creditors of the ruined De Franks - the Brignole-Sale family, who carried out a large-scale reconstruction

As a result, the façade was decorated with white decor, and the palazzo has since been called Bianco (that is, the White Palace). Its last owner, Maria Brignole-Sale, bequeathed it to the people at the end of the 19th century. This is how Palazzo Bianco became a museum with an outstanding collection of Western European painting. Here there was a place for baroque and quivering canvases by artists of the Genoese school - Strozzi, Castiglione, Magnasco. There are severe and strict Spaniards - Zurbaran, Murillo, Ribera. Well, the main attraction is the masterpieces of Caravaggio, Memling, Van Dyck, Rubens and Veronese.

Church of St. Nicholas

Botanical Garden Biosphere (La Biosfera). It is a huge glass sphere with an imitation of a tropical forest inside. Here not only plants grow, but also birds, iguanas, butterflies, parrots live. Piranhas live in the brook.

Biosphere and Bigo

The panoramic elevator "Bigo" is an attraction in the Old Port of Genoa, which, like the "Biosphere", was opened for the five-century anniversary of the discovery of America by the most famous Genoese - Christopher Columbus. In architectural terms, the elevator is a system of metal structures made of pipes, winches and cables, which should resemble harbor cranes that once unloaded and loaded ships entering the port. In technical terms, the elevator is a lift for people, which in its round car will lift you to a height of about forty meters. From the lifting height, a panoramic circular view of the port and the old town opens. The elevator is completely safe

The old port is of interest to tourists. There is a thousand-year-old lighthouse, a huge city aquarium, the Maritime Museum, and the Biosphere Botanical Garden. After the filming of Roman Polanski's film Pirates, a three-masted frigate was left here, attracting the attention of both children and adults. The Maritime Museum of the Mediterranean Sea is also interesting, the exhibits of which tell about the entire history of navigation, from rowboats to modern ships.

The Lanterna lighthouse is located fifteen minutes walk from the Dinegro metro station. It is the symbol of the city and the highest lighthouse in the Mediterranean: La Lanterna is 77 meters high and 375 steps lead up. It is also very old: the history of the lighthouse began in 1128. Lanterna was built on the hill of San Benigno, far outside the city limits, and it illuminated the way for ships that were coming from France. To keep the fire going, the keepers used wood, mostly dry juniper. Money for the maintenance of the lighthouse and the maintenance of its work was allocated by the Genoese from the tax, which was taken from ships for mooring in the port of the city. Two centuries later, the Genoese installed a lamp powered by olive oil on the tower. Thanks to this, the ships saw the light of the lighthouse better. The lighthouse not only illuminated the road, but also served as a defensive fortification in the struggle between the clans. Therefore, he was often under siege. That is why, in 1326, the inhabitants of Genoa dug a protective trench around the tower to reduce the likelihood of any of the warring parties penetrating the lighthouse.

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, Lanterna was rebuilt, after which the lighthouse became also a prison. Here they held hostage to the Cypriot king Jean II de Lusignan (French Jean II de Lusignan) with his wife, who unsuccessfully tried to free Cyprus from the Genoese trade dependence. During the war with the French, the lighthouse was badly damaged, but already in 1543 the Genoese restored the tower. In the seventeenth century, the lighthouse was incorporated into the gradually expanding city. In the eighteenth, rotating Fresnel lenses were installed on it. At the beginning of the twentieth century, electricity was brought here. The last major reconstruction was done after the end of the Second World War, during which the lighthouse was badly damaged. Now there is a museum next to the tower, where you can get acquainted with the history of the city, the port, see items and archives related to sea navigation. Among the exhibits are Fenchel lenses, having studied which, one can understand the scheme of the lighthouse.

This is a copy of a 17th century Spanish ship, which was specially built for the film "Pirates" by the famous director Roman Polanski. The film was released back in 1986. After filming, the ship was left in Genoa.

The port of Genoa is located between northern Italy and southern Europe. That is why it is very convenient for sailors, businessmen, politicians. The port stretches along the coast for twenty two kilometers and has four entrances: east, west, Multedo and Voltri. There are many terminals, each of which is designed to receive ships of a certain type. There are berths in the port for both merchant and passenger ships, as well as for private ships.

The Galata Maritime Museum (Galata Museo del Mare) is located in the Old Port. The exhibition center covers an area of \u200b\u200b10 thousand m2, and therefore it is one of the largest museums in the Mediterranean. Among the exhibits are reconstructions of medieval shipyards, models of ships, navigational maps, instruments. There are globes, paintings, ancient weapons, and even monsters from medieval books. The tour is accompanied by visual and sound effects that convey the atmosphere of the place. Much attention is paid to Christopher Columbus, a native of these lands.

Monastery of St. Andrew, what's left

House of Columbus (Casa di Colombo). Although it is not known exactly where the great navigator was born, the Genoese believe that Christopher Columbus lived here until 1470 (born in 1451). The house itself is not particularly impressive and looks a little gloomy. The attraction is a two-story building entwined with ivy. They are allowed inside only by special agreement or on October 12, the day of the celebration of World Columbus Day. In the old days, the Columbus House was three-story. There were three rooms on each tier. On the ground floor, Christopher's father set up a workshop: he was in charge of the weaving workshop. The remaining floors were at the disposal of the family. In the seventeenth century, the building was almost completely destroyed when the French shelled the city, but the Genoese rebuilt the house. Inside the building, fragments of walls have survived from the beginning of construction, and in the basement, archaeologists have discovered the foundation of a building dating back to the sixth century.

The palace of Andrea Doria (Palazzo di Andrea Doria), which is also known as the Prince's Villa (Villa del Principe). Previously, it was located outside the city walls, and only eventually ended up within the city. The house was built by Andrea Doria, who was popular with the Genoese, and in 1528 he was chosen by the Doge. He also received the title of prince for his merits, which is why the house was nicknamed princely. The palace looked great, it was decorated with sculptures, frescoes, tapestries. The house was so luxurious that even Emperor Charles V stayed here. Now it houses a museum. They built a house at the foot of a hill near the sea.

The main staircase is decorated with geometric patterns and grotesque paintings. On the walls of the rooms there are paintings, stucco moldings, paintings. Old furniture and interior elements are everywhere. The gold gallery was used for audience. In it you can see gilded wooden sculptures and family portraits.

In front of the building, there is an Italian-style park. It can be accessed from the house through an arched gallery. In the middle of the park is a fountain with a sculpture of Neptune, which appeared here at the end of the sixteenth century. Previously, through the garden, you could go down to the sea, where there was a private pier of Andrea Doria. Now there is a motorway between the house and the sea, and the sea terminal is located nearby.

Palace of San Giorgio

Promenade Corso Italia is one of the important transport links and city-forming streets in Genoa. The embankment appeared at the beginning of the last century as a result of the expansion of the city. Today, the promenade stretches along the coast in the Albaro area for more than two kilometers, it connects the Foz area and the coastal village of Boccadasse. Corso Italia is a favorite meeting and stroll place for citizens and visitors alike.

Marine Station

The Villetta di Negro Park surrounds the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art. In front of its entrance there is a statue dedicated to Giuseppe Mazzini. The park is located on a hill, so there are many paths leading up. Tourists who come here from the noisy streets of the city seem to find themselves in another world: here are grottoes with waterfalls, clean air, aviaries with exotic birds. The hill overlooks Genoa and the lush vegetation of the park (palms, cedars, sequoias, pines).

Mackenzie Castle is a five-story mansion built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and is one of the most successful examples of eclecticism, combining the architectural features of Gothic and Mannerism. They built a castle for a wealthy Florentine and Scottish insurer - Evan Mackenzie. For most of the second half of the last century, the castle, after a series of changes of owners, remained in desolation, until 2002 was purchased and restored by the Kambi auction house. Today, the mansion is not only the seat of the auction house, but also a private museum with space for temporary exhibitions.

The Museum of World Cultures, located in d'Albertis Castle, owes its creation to the sea captain Enrico Alberto d'Albertis. He traveled extensively in Africa, Oceania, America and Asia. From there he brought ritual objects, dishes and household items that the natives used. At first it was a private collection, but after the death of d'Albertis in 1932, the castle was transferred to the state ownership and named the Museum of World Cultures. The entire collection was divided into several rooms: Colombian, Turkish, Gothic, and so on. Later, the palace also housed the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments.

Castle d "Albertis

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My first acquaintance with the Italian region of Liguria happened in September 2013, when I visited the places in the south of this province. The impression was so enthusiastic that I wished to definitely visit the capital of Liguria - Genoa. This happy event happened in April 2014.

Genoa has many positive features in my perception. It is located on the shores of the Genoa Gulf of the Ligurian Sea (this coast is the Ligurian Riviera), framed by the Apennine Mountains. Genoa has a long, eventful history, which I will briefly talk about below. The city is replete with beautiful sights, spectacular, but not intrusive landscapes. Genoa harmoniously combines space and comfort; there are many wide embankments, squares and esplanades, as well as narrow streets and secluded cozy places. All this guarantees an interesting and relaxing pastime.

Due to its glorious past and impressive landscapes, Genoa is nicknamed La Superba, which means "Excellent", "Majestic".

The toponym "Genoa". Brief information about the history of Genoa

Finally (in my opinion, the most likely version), 6) the ancient Celtic word Genaua means "mouth, mouth", since the city was founded at the spill of the Bisanio mountain stream, on the shores of the Ligurian Sea. Archaeological excavations indicate that a Celtic-Ligurian settlement was founded here in the Iron Age. Genaua was interpreted by the Etruscans as Genova, as it is written in Italian. Genoa is called Zena in the Ligurian dialect, and this word can often be seen in the city on posters, bags, etc. The name "Genoa" has penetrated into the Russian language, apparently, from the German Genua.

In ancient times, Genoa was part of the Roman state. After the collapse of Rome, having survived a period of turmoil under the barbarian tribes, from the X century Genoa began to turn into a major seaport. By the beginning of the XII century, Genoa became an independent city-state, formally subordinate to the Holy Roman Empire. The Genoese Republic was ruled by an aristocratic trade elite. The 13th century is the era of the peak of Genoa's power, when for some time it controlled almost all of the Mediterranean and even had colonies in the Northern Black Sea region (Crimea, Taman). In the future, internal strife began to negatively affect. By the middle of the 15th century, the republic finally lost its status as a great power. However, the change in the system of power and the alliance with Spain, which became the largest colonial empire, contributed to the fact that at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries Genoa turned into one of the most prosperous lands in Italy and led a lot of construction. But even this period of prosperity in the 18th century came to an end, due to the catastrophic weakening of the inefficient Spanish economy. At the end of the 18th century, Napoleon liquidated the Republic of Genoa. Since 1815, Genoa has been part of Piedmont (that is, the Kingdom of Sardinia). In the following decades, including through the creation of a unified Italian state, Genoa became the main port of Italy. By the beginning of the 20th century, Genoa was already able to challenge Marseille for the title of the busiest port in the entire Mediterranean.

Old Port

From the port I will begin my story about the sights of Genoa. It is here, figuratively speaking, that the seeds of Genoa's prosperity have been sown since ancient times. Now the port consists of different parts, among which tourists are most attracted by the old one - Porto Antico. By the way, in the center of the Old Port there is a tourist information point (a small kiosk) where you can get a city map for free. I recommend that you definitely get one, since the layout of Genoa is rather complicated, and in my opinion it is simply unrealistic to navigate without a map.

Despite the name, the Old Port is a complex complex of buildings from different times. In 1992, architect Renzo Piano reconstructed the Old Port, adding several prominent objects. Among them:

● Aquarium - the second largest in Europe after the Aquarium in Valencia:

I visited it and would not hesitate to recommend all guests of Genoa to follow my example, as this will certainly guarantee a lot of positive emotions. For example, penguins cannot but arouse sympathy:

By the way, from the roof of the Aquarium you can take excellent panoramic photos of Genoa and the port:

● The Bolla Glass Sphere is a garden showcasing the wide biodiversity of the tropics.

● The Il Bigo panoramic elevator consists of several arrows and resembles a spider in shape (this is a reminder of harbor cranes). The longest (40 meters) boom is used by an elevator that takes you to the observation deck. It must be interesting and clear there, but it seemed to me inappropriate to take photographs through glass, and I gave up the idea of \u200b\u200bvisiting this site.

● Galleon "Neptune" - a copy of a Spanish ship of the 17th century, which was specially built for the 1986 film "Pirates" by the famous director Roman Polanski. After filming, the ship was left in Genoa. You can visit this ship for a small fee.

It's nice to stroll along the picturesque embankment of the Old Port:

Walk through the historic center of Genoa

From the Old Port, I will take a walk-excursion around the historic center of Genoa. The first and exceptionally striking sight that you meet on the way is the Palazzo San Giorgio:

This cake-like palace is one of the most important buildings in Genoa and has been designated an Italian National Monument. The first (or one of the first) banks in the world were located within its walls. The palace was built in 1260 by the patrician Guglielmo Bocanegra and was conceived as the first city hall. During the construction, some parts of the Venetian embassy destroyed in Constantinople were used, transferred to the Genoese by the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaeologus as gratitude for their assistance in the fight against the Latin Empire. Since the end of the 13th century, San Giorgio has been used as a prison for a long time, and one of its famous prisoners was the Venetian Marco Polo. It was here, in co-authorship with Rusticolo, that he wrote the famous book about his outstanding journey. In the 16th century, the palace became a bank, and its walls were covered with wonderful paintings. In the 19th century, San Giorgio was in poor condition, and the question of its demolition was even raised, however, fortunately, the townspeople did not allow this unholy plan to come true. Since 1903, the administration of the Old Port has been located here.

Going further, you enjoy just turning your head back and forth; interesting views come across at every turn. For example, the Loggia dei Mercanti retail outlet:

Such sculptural ornaments of religious content are popular (especially often dedicated to Madonna, whose cult is most widespread in Italy):

In the historical center of Genoa, there are often so-called campos - small enclosed squares surrounded by residential buildings and with the obligatory presence of a church (churches, by the way, usually have a very rich interior):

This type of development in places evokes a feeling close to claustrophobia (I'm kidding, of course). But there are really very narrow streets in the old part of Genoa:

Next, I'll show you the Doge's Palace (by the way, there was an exhibition of paintings by the artist Edvard Munch - it's curious how the Doges would react to such art):

The building is rather modest in comparison with the Doge's Palace. The institution of power of the Doges in Genoa was much less significant than in its rival Venice. The first Doge was elected only in 1339; this position was abolished in 1797 (simultaneously with Venice). The building was originally built in the years 1251-1275; in the 16th and 18th centuries, large-scale reconstruction and restoration work took place (especially after the fire of 1777, when the Palace was almost completely destroyed). The Palace was reconstructed again in 1992 in connection with the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus.

Not far from the Doge's Palace there is a beautiful building of the Jesuit Church of Jesus and Saints Ambrogio and Andrew (Chiesa del Gesù e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea):

The church has existed here since ancient times - back in the 6th century A.D. A modern look from the 16th century, when the church was rebuilt by the Jesuits who arrived in Genoa.

The main church of Genoa is also located near the Doge's Palace. This is the Cathedral of St. Lawrence (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo):

According to legend, it was here that Saint Lawrence was killed and buried. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118, although the construction was completed only in the XIV century. Belfry belonging to the façade is a feature of French Gothic. For the construction of the Cathedral, craftsmen from France were invited, who made it striped, since during the Middle Ages such stripes were a symbol of nobility and were often used in the construction of Genoese churches. The Franco-Norman style is characteristic of the three portals of the Cathedral (the main portal is named after St. Lawrence, the side ones are named after St. John and Gottard). Above the main gate one can discern the figure of Christ (Judge), and below - the suffering of St. Lawrence, roasted alive on an iron grate.

In 1944, Genoa was significantly affected by the bombing of British aircraft. During one of the services in the Cathedral, a bomb broke through the roof and fell on the marble floor of the Cathedral without exploding. Considering what happened a miracle of the Lord, and the temple - a Holy place, the priests decided to leave the shell as a symbol of God's Sign.

The entrance to the Cathedral is guarded by a rather melancholic lion:

From the Middle Ages in Genoa, a wonderful structure has survived - the Soprana Gate (Porta Soprana). From the outside, the towers are rounded:

From the inner side of the tower are square:

The Soprana Gate was part of the defensive fortifications of Genoa and was built in the middle of the 12th century under the influence of a difficult relationship with the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

I conclude this part of the walk through the historic center of Genoa with a view of Piazza di Ferrari:

This is Genoa's main square, located between the old town and the modern business center. There is a 1936 fountain in the middle of the square. The square got its name from the nearby house of the duke and patron of art Raphael de Ferrari in 1887. There are demonstrations of the townspeople and festive concerts. The square is overlooked by the side facade of the Doge's Palace, the Church of Jesus, the Palazzo of the Stock Exchange (built in 1912 - I got it almost in the center) and the main city theater, Carlo Felice.

Palaces of the Genoese patricians

Garibaldi street

One of the outstanding sights of Genoa (more precisely, a group of sights) are the so-called Palazzi dei Rolli, or Palaces from the list. They got this name due to the fact that, by order of the Senate of the Republic of Genoa, all houses of noble Genoese families must be taken into account and entered into a special list according to certain criteria: importance, beauty and size. These houses had the honor to host various foreign delegations according to their level. Only a few palaces were honored to receive the emperor, king, pope and other dignitaries. The more modest palaces were content with less important guests. Rollie palaces were built in the 16th century, during the heyday of Genoa. The final list was compiled in 1664 and included about 150 palaces, most of which have survived to this day. I inspected from the outside two groups of Rollie palaces.

The first group is located on Via Garibaldi, about 250 meters long. The name is somewhat strange for a place like this; until 1882 the street was called Strada Nuova, and even earlier Strada Maggiore (I really did not like the fact that the street was named after Garibaldi). It should be noted that the street is quite narrow, as noted by Charles Dickens in "Pictures of Italy":

Will I ever forget the streets of the palaces - Strada Nuova and Balbi! Especially Strada Nuova on a sunny summer day, when I saw her for the first time under the brightest and bluest summer sky without clouds, which in the gap between the huge buildings looked like a narrow precious strip of bright light looking down into a thick impenetrable shadow.

I could not photograph the palaces in full (this requires special photographic equipment and a special place for shooting), so I will show a few fragments that interest me most:

In some places you can enter the front lobby, and in this case, I immediately noted the coat of arms with a two-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire:

A beautiful gallery on the second tier of the Palazzo Tursi building:

Impressive sculpture of some kind of military leader:

I fell in love with the coat of arms with marching lions - one with a tree, the other with a cross (adorns the Palazzo Rosso):

Balbi street

The second group (in a smaller number) of Rolli palaces is located on Balbi Street. Among them, the most significant is the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale):

The palace was built in the 17th century. In 1823 it was sold to the King of the Dynasty of Savoy and began to be used as the official residence. A carriage with a coat of arms reports about this dynasty:

Opposite Palazzo Reale is the building of the University, founded in 1481. I photographed a graceful heraldic image on one of the University buildings:

Marine station, its surroundings and the Columbus monument

Back to the port of Genoa. The Maritime Station (Stazione Marittima) is about 15-20 minutes walk from the Old Port:

This is a historically important place for Genoa, Liguria and all of Northern Italy, for from here numerous Italian emigrants went to America in search of a better life. The current building was built in 1914-1930. And now big ships come here - real floating cities:

Let me draw your attention to how difficult the relief is in Genoa - walking on it, of course, requires extraordinary endurance. The peripheral quarters of the city quickly climb up along a series of terraces:

My main goal of walking in the Maritime Station area was to search for a monument to the great traveler Christopher Columbus. I didn’t know exactly where he was, and I counted on a lucky chance. And so it happened. Upon reaching the Main Train Station, I found what I was looking for:

It is curious that there is no completely reliable information that Columbus was really a Genoese; moreover, six cities in Italy and Spain (!) dispute the honor of being his homeland. And yet the least objectionable is the version that he was born in Genoa or another city of the Genoa Republic. In Genoa, they even show some kind of nondescript house where Columbus was allegedly born (it is believed that he came from a poor family). One way or another, if Genoa was his homeland, it was not too caring. The fate of the navigator at Columbus was formed thanks to Spain, and Genoa paid tribute in the form of a monument much later. But the monument is undoubtedly beautiful, including the bas-relief scenes on it:

Also in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Maritime Station deserves attention located opposite the Prince's Palace (Palazzo del Principe). The building itself did not strike me as particularly outstanding (in my opinion, the large imposing houses behind it are more spectacular), but the beautiful garden remains in my memory:

In fact, this is not a palace, but a villa; built in 1530. It is noteworthy that the villa served as the residence of Admiral Andrea Doria, a man whose role in the history of Genoa can hardly be overestimated. In 1528 he liberated Genoa from the French and re-established the republic; established the board of the principate; immigrants from the Holy Roman Empire began to serve in the power structures; the power of the groups that previously controlled certain areas of the city was eliminated; the power of the doges was limited, their term of office was reduced from life to two years. Under Andrea Doria, money flowed to Genoa like a river, which ensured the construction of not only the Prince's Villa, but all the Rolli palaces. The villa is now a museum.

Also, being in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Marine Station, it is worth looking at the D'Albertis castle (Castello D'Albertis). I didn't have enough time to get close to him (you need to climb quite high), so I photographed from a distance:

The castle was built in 1886-1892 (the end was specially conceived for the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus). Onc is a mixture of architectural styles: here you can find elements of the castles of the Italian region of Valle d'Aosta and Florentine palaces, you can see traces of neo-Gothic and medieval architecture. Now there is an ethnographic museum.

Arc de Triomphe, several views of Genoa from above and Lanterna lighthouse

I remember the Arc de Triomphe on the main street of Genoa - street XX September. It was opened in 1931 and is dedicated to the victory of Italy as a participant in the First World War (the participant, I must say, was very weak and unlucky; but the alliance with the Entente still provided her with victorious trophies in the form of some territories of Austria-Hungary):

I conclude the story about a walk in Genoa with photographs taken from above (from the Villetta di Negro park located on a hill, which is a few minutes walk from Calle Garibaldi and Piazza di Ferrari):

And the last thing I want to tell you about in this article is Lantern's lighthouse. In Italian, the word Lanterna means "lantern", "lighthouse". But if it is written with a capital letter, then it almost certainly means the Genoa Lighthouse. This symbol of Genoa is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the world. Height 117 meters, 375 steps lead to the top. The first navigational structure was erected here in about 1128, and the lighthouse has a modern look since 1543. In 1340, the coat of arms of Genoa was painted on the tower of the lighthouse. In 1405, the priests who were responsible for the maintenance of the lighthouse placed frescoes with images of a fish and a golden cross on the dome of the lighthouse - symbols of Christianity. Throughout history, Lanterna has been damaged many times, but they have always been persistently repaired. For me, Lanterna is a majestic, light and lively image of Genoa, overcoming all difficulties:

The construction in Genoa of an architectural masterpiece, called the Doge's Palace, began in the 13th century, at the time of the highest point of the city's political power, when Genoa became the master of the Mediterranean Sea, managing to take control of both water and land around.

Military victories of Genoa

This was facilitated by high-profile victories, such as, for example, the naval battle at Meloria in 1284, in which Genoa defeated the Pisa fleet. Or the defeat of the armada of Venice near the island of Kurzola at the very end of the same century.

Shortly before the last battle, Captains Obizzo Spinola and Corrado Doria acquired several buildings between the churches of San Lorenzo and San Matteo. In 1294, the nearby palace of Fieschi, whose owners were in exile at the time, was also bought. This house was confiscated from those who were formerly called Counts of Lavagna and had been in the General Company since 1138.

Palace history

This building passed to a certain Ugo, whose nickname Flisco later became the surname for the founders of the dynasty. Hugo expanded his trade, opened a bank, but in politics he never came to the fore, keeping in the shadow of his other compatriots. The Fiesci willingly became related to the Guelphs and even joined this party, but they did not break business ties with the Ghibellines either, for which they paid during the next change of power in Genoa.

The palace left without owners was empty for a long time and fell into desolation. The people's captains decided not to restore the building, but to demolish it. They cleared the construction site for a new building, which later became Doge's Palace in .

Restructuring and reconstruction

The Doge's Palace, where he moved in 1339 Simon Boccanegra, mostly disappeared after alterations in the 16th century. The new building turned out to be very impressive and solid. In the last decade of the 16th century, it was significantly expanded, acquired a covered vestibule and additional buildings that formed a courtyard.

Participation of great artists and architects in the creation of the Palace

A monumental staircase by Andrea Cherezola, nicknamed Vannole, leads to the ceremonial premises of the Doge's Palace, where receptions of foreign ambassadors were held.

Also, the hand of this master is guessed in the interior of the halls of the Great and Small Councils of the Doge's Palace. Next to these premises were also the working premises of the leaders of the republic. The palace was partially rebuilt after a fire in 1777.

The Grand Council Hall underwent major changes, during which its original interior was lost. But a century later, the hall was painted with wonderful frescoes. Giuseppe Isola.

Numerous reconstructions of the Doge's Palace have greatly changed its appearance. The building, which used to be lost among the city buildings, in its modern version began to resemble a luxurious estate in the city center. Today the huge palace complex is used for folk festivals and also as a venue for various exhibitions in Genoa.

Doge's Palace on the map

Doge's palace in genoa Palazzo Ducale (Palace of the Doges) (Genoa, Italy) Who are the Doges in Genoa

What to see and where to go in Genoa?

1. Piazza Ferrari

2. Old port of Genoa

3. La Lanterna

4. Backcadass

5. Nerves

6. Palazzi dei Rolli

7. Palazzo Bianco

8. Palazzo Rosso

9. Palazzo Ducale

10. Palazzo San Giorgio

11. Royal Palace

12. Princely villa

13. Castle Albertis

14. Cathedral of San Lorenzo

15. Church of Santa Maria di Castello

16. Basilica of Santissima Annunziata del Vastato

17. Church of Saints Ambrose and Andrew

18. Staglieno cemetery

19. Teatro Carlo Felice

20. Aquarium of Genoa

21. Galata Maritime Museum

22. Galleon "Neptune"

23. Panoramic elevator "Il Bigo"

24. Porta Soprana Gate

25. House of Christopher Columbus

26. Park Nervi

27. Villeta Di Negro Park

28. Promenade Corso Italy

29. Anita Garibaldi Embankment

30. Montaldo lookout point

Teatro Carlo Felice

Doge's palace

Port

Piazza Caricamento

Lighthouse La Lanterna

Galata Maritime Museum

Aquarium

Biosphere

Churches

Museums

Archaeological Museum of Liguria

Houses and palaces

Princely villa

Rollie palaces

University of Genoa

City fortifications

Parks

Park del Aquazola

How to get there

The toponym "Genoa". Brief information about the history of Genoa

Old Port

Walk through the historic center of Genoa

Palaces of the Genoese patricians

Garibaldi street

Balbi street

Marine station, its surroundings and the Columbus monument

Arc de Triomphe, several views of Genoa from above and Lanterna lighthouse

Military victories of Genoa

Palace history

Restructuring and reconstruction

Participation of great artists and architects in the creation of the Palace

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