Genoa
European Culture Capital
General Information
Other Name: -, District: NA, State: Liguria, Italy
Area: 243 km²
Languages Spoken: Italian
Long Distance Code: -
Importance: -
Best Time to Visit: May to July and -
International Access: -Description
A city rich in art and a major seaport, of flourishing trade and commercial exchange, Genoa is one of the most surprising cities in Italy.Genoa, known as "la Superba" on account of its splendid marble palaces, has a magnificent situation, particularly when seen from the sea, rising in a wide arc on the lower slopes of the Ligurian Apennines.The old town is a maze of narrow streets, many of them steep, which are filled with the colorful and noisy activity of a Mediterranean town. The new parts of the town with their tall modern buildings, gardens and villas lie in the plain at the mouth of the River Bisagno and on the higher ground to the north and west. The tall lighthouse on the west side is the emblem of the town.The main features of central Genoa include Piazza de Ferrari, around which are sited the Opera and the Palace of the Doges. There is also a house where Christopher Columbus is said to have been born.Strada Nuova (now Via Garibaldi), in the old city, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006.Location
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This museum, one of the main tourist attractions in Italy, welcomes millions of visitors each year. Built between 1989 and 1992, it reproduces a coastal atmosphere in 48 basins, four of which are oceanic and have two viewing levels. Continually changing, it also includes the Nave Italia, which was the seat of the Italian Pavilion during the Expo of 1992, and is now home to around 500 different species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds and invertebrates.
In the bay of San Michele, the Bagni Pagana are recognisable by the long pier with a cloloured beach hut which juts out into the sea like a pile dwelling!
It is the most important example of a stately home in Genova. This is largely due to the enormous size and splendour of the building. After you have had a look at the peaceful hanging gardens created in 1739, you will come to the monumental staircase which was created to go up to the aristocratic floor. The rooms there are richly decorated with frescoes, paintings and stuccoes. They still contain many of the original furniture and picture galleries. You can also see the Battle room, the Veronese room, the splendid Mirror room (the boast of the building) the Throne room, the audience room, with the famous canvasses by A.Van Dyck Portrait of Caterina Durazzo. There are the King and Queen''s bedchambers and the Tapestry room and the remarkable Ballroom.
This trail is carved into the rock and it weaves through the little port of Nervi, with its picturesque pastel coloured houses, and the splendid villas of Capolungo, whose park leads to the sea. It is easily traversed in all seasons, shielded from the cold winter winds, with incomparable views over the eastern Riviera. Along the route there are numerous open air bars, ice cream shops, restaurants and night clubs, as well as a 16th century look-out tower which stands over the cliffs and reefs.
This palazzo, one of the most magnificent in the entire city, was built for Andrea Doria in the 16th century; interestingly, his descendants have recently taken up residency once more. It was built outside the city walls as an autonomous estate, endowed with its own private port, and a vast terraced garden spreading behind it.It is a must-see for any visitor to the city. Not to be missed are the entirely frescoed Gallery of the Heroes, the Room of the Giants with its splendid fireplace, the Zodiac Room and above all the Gallery, where the rich tapestries depicting the Battle of Lepanto (1571) hang, commissioned by Giovanni Andrea from the Brussels school, based on cartoons prepared by L. Cambiaso and L. Calvi.
The sanctuary of S. M. Assunta, familiarly known as "la Madonetta" by the Genovese, rises on the hillside in the Castellano area. Built by the Augustinians before 1696, designed by A. M. Ricca, it owes its name to the revered statue by Gagini (15th century), today standing on the main altar. The altar stands beyond an octagonal sacrestry with typical black and white mosaic flooring. It consists of a single octagonal space with six side chapels. It is one of the most popular sacrestries in the city because of the beautiful nativity scene in the crypt.