DESTINATION:
Palazzi & Churches Of Genoa
One suggested etymology for the name of the north-western Italian port of Genoa is the Latin ‘ianua’, meaning doorway. This would certainly fit well with Genoa’s long and distinguished maritime history as a trade hub, a breeding ground for explorers (including Christopher Columbus), and a naval base. Established in the 4th century as a Roman port, Genoa grew quickly as the result of a period of increased Mediterranean trade and naval aggression during the Punic Wars. The Medieval period saw the creation of the independent Most Serene Republic of Genoa which reached its heights during the 16th and 17th centuries, resulting in an influx of artists and architects from across Europe.
Today, Genoa remains an important European maritime hub and the narrow streets of the city centre (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), provide a fascinating insight into its past. Our tour will bring to life the city’s history and artistic significance.
Recommended duration – 4 nights/5 days
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- WALKING TOUR (Old Town) – to include the Via Garibaldi, formerly the Strada Nuova. A narrow cobbled street, which is lined with 16th century palaces, their black and white slate exteriors symbolising the prosperity and elevated social standing of their former inhabitants. Whilst several of these former palaces have now been converted into offices, many have been restored to their former splendour.
- PALAZZO ROSSO – built in the 1670s by Gio Francesco and Ridolfo Brignole-Sale, it houses the Brignole’s collection with works from the Italian School, but predominantly by Genoese artists. Among the featured artists are Veronese, Tintoretto, Procaccini, Cerano, Guercino and Reni.
- PALAZZO BIANCO – built in 1565 by the Grimaldi family, it displays the private art collection of the Brignole-Sale family, donated to the City of Genoa by Duchess Maria Brignole-Sale. The collection contains examples from several of the European Schools, including works by Rubens, van Dyck and Murillo, and also pieces from local artists.
- CATHEDRAL OF SAN LORENZO – a striking 12th century cathedral, which took some 400 years to complete. The cathedral is characterised by a black and white façade with a sculpture depicting the death of St Lorenzo. The chapel of St John the Baptist contains his bones and the museum displays the bottle-green hexagonal cup believed to be the Holy Grail brought back by the Crusaders from the Holy Land. The Cathedral also houses the DIOCESAN MUSEUM OF RELIGIOUS ART , which displays the huge Fieschi Tomb, remarkable archaeological finds, Barnaba Da Modena’s paintings with gilded background, canvases by Luca Cambiaso and Perin Del Vaga, Gregorio De Ferrari’s great altar-pieces as well as precious silverware, reliquaries, and fine pieces of embroidery.
- PALAZZO DORIA-TURSI – built during the ‘Golden Century of Genoa’ (between 1530 and 1630), its halls display famous items, such as the Guarneri del Gesù, the violin which belonged to Paganini, as well as The Cannon by Joseph Guarnerius del Gesù.
- CHIESA DEL GESÙ – built in 1597 by Tibaldi, it houses Guido Reni’s Assumption, Rubens’ The Circumcision of Jesus and The Healing by Saint Ignatius.
- PALAZZO REALE – built in the 17th century, it originally belonged to the Durazzo family before it became a royal residence for the Kings of Savoy in 1824. The palace has an ornate Rococo interior and includes a Throne Room and a Hall of Mirrors. The Gallery contains works by Jan Roos, Guercino and Bassano, along with the Crucifixion by van Dyck.
- GALLERIA NAZIONALE – housed in the Palazzo Spinola. The Marquises Paolo and Franco Spinola donated their vast collection of artwork, furnishings, ceramics, silver, books and etchings to the Italian State in 1958, together with the family home. Its collection is displayed over four floors of the 16th century palace, primarily focusing on Italian and Flemish Renaissance art.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- PALAZZO DEL PRINCIPE DORIA PAMPHILJ – the richest and most sumptuous palace in Genoa, it was commissioned by Andrea Doria, Admiral to Emperor Carlos V, in 1530. The interior of the palace was designed by Perin del Vaga, a pupil of Raffaello, and contains many frescoes.
- CHURCH OF SAN DONATO – a splendid example of Genoese Romanic architecture, with its beautiful octagonal bell tower. The interior houses a statue of the Virgin and Child and to the right of the basilica is a small chapel said to represent the Holy Spirit’s Dove.
- SANT’AGOSTINO MUSEUM – built in the 13th century and heavily bombed during World War II. The museum is housed in the Romanic-Gothic cloisters and displays frescoes, sculptures and architectural pieces salvaged from Genoa’s churches which were destroyed in the war.
FURTHER AFIELD
- LIGURIAN COAST – visit the famous cliff top abbey, Abbazia Della Cervara, with its wonderful terraced Italian gardens overlooking the Tigullio Gulf. The abbey was constructed in 1364 and was acquired by Marquis Durazzo in 1868. The abbey is set in extensive grounds comprising of box hedges, ars topiaria, fountains and rare plant specimens. Nearby Portofino is Italy’s most exclusive harbour town. Visits on the coast also include Camogli, a charming fishing village with pastel-coloured houses and Lerici, which is dominated by an imposing castle guarding the entrance to the Gulf of La Spezia. Lerici was a favourite haunt of several English poets, including Yeats, who were lured by its romantic ambience and setting, and Shelley lived in nearby San Terenzo.
- GENOA NERVI – Genoa’s own ‘Riviera’, situated 5 miles east of the city. The picturesque seaside village of Nervi is renowned for its lush greenery and beautiful gardens and the small harbour is surrounded by quaint old houses painted in gay, bright colours. The visit will include the Frugone collections, housed in the charming Villa Grimaldi Fassio. This 18th century villa, set in a luxuriant park with wonderful rose gardens, houses 19th and 20th century Italian portrait and landscape paintings, sculptures, drawings and engravings collected by the Frugone brothers.
- NERVI POLO MUSEALE DI ARTE MODERNA – which contains over 2700 pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, including exhibits from the Mitchell Wolfson Junior Collection.
TURIN, the capital of the nearby region of Piemonte, can also be visited from Genoa. The city offers a handsome blend of Baroque Palaces and churches and a day visit can include any of the following:
- PINACOTECA GIOVANNI AND MARELLA AGNELLI – a small, but choice, selection from the private collection of the Agnelli family housed in a stunning Renzo Piano building, with works by Manet, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Italian Futurists and Canaletto amongst others.
- MUSEO CIVICO D’ARTE ANTICA – housed in the Palazzo Madama, a beautiful palace whose origins date from the Roman times, it contains a rich collection of Old Masters, most famously a rare Antonello da Messina portrait and Jan Van Eyck’s extraordinary Milan Book of Hours. The Piedmontese school of art is also richly represented.
- ROYAL PALACE – the 16th century palace of the House of Savoy which was modernised in the 17th century by the Baroque architect Filippo Juvarra. One wing houses the Palazzo Chiablese and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, the latter of which was built to house the famous Shroud of Turin. A more recent wing of the palace houses the Galleria Sabauda which exhibits the collection of the Princes of Savoy and includes works by van der Weyden, van Eyck, van Dyck, Rembrandt, Fra Angelico, Mantegna, Veronese, Bellotto, Rubens, Poussin, and Memling.
- GALLERIA D’ARTE MODERNA – the oldest modern art museum in Italy and considered to be one of the finest, the Gallery boasts over 45,000 works representing all the major Italian art movements from the 19th century onwards.
- LA VENARIA REALE – located on the outskirts of Turin this vast palace was one of the residences of the Royal House of Savoy. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the complex is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and in addition to lavish interiors it boasts extensive gardens.