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Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the
Italian region The regions of Italy ( it, regioni d'Italia) are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italian Republic, constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, five of which have higher autonomy than the rest. U ...
of
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the
Province of Genoa The Province of Genoa (Italian ''Provincia di Genova'') was a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Genoa. It was replaced by Metropolitan City of Genoa. Overview It has an area of and a total population of about ...
, which in 2015 became the
Metropolitan City of Genoa The Metropolitan City of Genoa ( it, Città Metropolitana di Genova) is one of the fourteen Metropolitan cities of Italy, located in the region of Liguria. Its capital is the city of Genoa. It replaced the Province of Genoa. History It was first c ...
, had 855,834 resident persons. Over 1.5 million people live in the wider metropolitan area stretching along the
Italian Riviera The Italian Riviera or Ligurian Riviera ( it, Riviera ligure; lij, Rivêa lìgure) is the narrow coastal strip in Italy which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinall ...
. On the
Gulf of Genoa The Gulf of Genoa (''Golfo di Genova'') is the northernmost part of the Ligurian Sea. This Italian gulf is about wide from the city of Imperia in the west to La Spezia in the east. The largest city on its coast is Genoa, which has an important p ...
in the
Ligurian Sea The Ligurian Sea ( it, Mar Ligure; french: Mer Ligurienne; lij, Mâ Ligure) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the Italian Riviera (Liguria) and the island of Corsica. The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient L ...
, Genoa has historically been one of the most important ports on the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
: it is currently the busiest in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea and twelfth-busiest in the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
. Genoa was the capital of one of the most powerful maritime republics for over seven centuries, from the 11th century to 1797. Particularly from the 12th century to the 15th century, the city played a leading role in the commercial trade in Europe, becoming one of the largest naval powers of the continent and considered among the wealthiest cities in the world. It was also nicknamed ''la Superba'' ("the proud one") by
Petrarch Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited w ...
due to its glories on the seas and impressive landmarks. The city has hosted massive shipyards and steelworks since the 19th century, and its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages. The
Bank of Saint George The Bank of Saint George ( it, Casa delle compere e dei banchi di San Giorgio or informally as ''Ufficio di San Giorgio'' or ''Banco'') was a financial institution of the Republic of Genoa. It was founded in 1407 to consolidate the public debt ...
, founded in 1407, is the oldest known state deposit bank in the world and has played an important role in the city's prosperity since the middle of the 15th century. The historical centre, also known as old town, of Genoa is one of the largest and most-densely populated in Europe. Part of it was also inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006 as Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli. Genoa's historical city centre is also known for its narrow lanes and streets that the locals call "caruggi". Genoa is also home to the
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
, which has a history going back to the 15th century, when it was known as Genuense Athenaeum. The city's rich cultural history in
art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...
,
music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
and
cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...
allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is the birthplace of
Guglielmo Embriaco Guglielmo Embriaco (Latin ''Guillermus Embriacus'', Genoese ''Ghigærmo de ri Embrieghi'', English ''William the Drunkard''; born c. 1040), was a Genoese merchant and military leader who came to the assistance of the Crusader States in the afterm ...
,
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
,
Andrea Doria Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime. As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Repu ...
,
Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices f ...
,
Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, , ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the in ...
,
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
and
Grimaldo Canella Grimaldo Canella (d. ''c.'' 1184) was the youngest son of Otto Canella and Consul of Genoa in 1162, 1170, and 1184. Grimaldo is considered the progenitor and eponym of the House of Grimaldi. Origins Canella was probably born in Genoa around 11 ...
, founder of the
House of Grimaldi The House of Grimaldi ( , also , , ) is the current reigning house of the Principality of Monaco. The house was founded in 1160 by Grimaldo Canella in Genoa and became the ruling house of Monaco when Francesco Grimaldi captured Monaco in 1297 ...
, among others. Genoa, which forms the southern corner of the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle of
Northwest Italy Northwest Italy ( it, Italia nord-occidentale or just ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency. Northwes ...
, is one of the country's major economic centers. A number of leading Italian companies are based in the city, including
Fincantieri Fincantieri S.p.A. () is an Italian shipbuilding company based in Trieste, Italy. Already the largest shipbuilder in Europe, after the acquisition of Vard in 2013, Fincantieri group doubled in size to become the fourth largest in the world (2014 ...
,
Selex ES Selex ES was a subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A., active in the electronics and information technology business, based in Italy and the UK, and formed in January 2013, following Finmeccanica's decision to combine its existing SELEX Elsag and ...
,
Ansaldo Energia Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in Ansa ...
,
Ansaldo STS Hitachi Rail STS SpA (from ''Hitachi Rail Signalling and Transportation Systems'') or Hitachi Rail STS (previously Ansaldo STS) is a transportation company owned by Hitachi with a global presence in the field of railway signalling and integrated t ...
,
Edoardo Raffinerie Garrone ERG S.p.A. is a publicly listed Italian energy company, founded in 1938, and based in Genoa, Italy. History ERG was founded by Edoardo Guida Garrone in 1938, founding a company for the refining of petroleum. In 1952, ERG signs an agreement to ...
,
Piaggio Aerospace Piaggio Aerospace, formerly Piaggio Aero Industries, is a multinational aerospace manufacturing company headquartered in Villanova d'Albenga, Italy. The company designs, develops, manufactures and maintains aircraft, aero-engines, aerospace co ...
,
Mediterranean Shipping Company Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. (MSC) is an international shipping line founded by Gianluigi Aponte in Italy in 1970, with headquarters in Switzerland since 1978. The privately held company is owned by the Aponte family. It has been the lar ...
and
Costa Cruises Società per Azioni, S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily ca ...
.


Name

The city's modern name may derive from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word meaning "knee" (''genu''; plural, ''genua'') but there are other theories. It could derive from the god
Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
, because Genoa, like him, has two faces: a face that looks at the sea and another turned to the mountains. Or it could come from the Latin word ''ianua'', also related to the name of the God Janus, and meaning "door", or "passage." Besides that, it may refer to its geographical position at the centre of the Ligurian coastal arch. The Latin name, ''oppidum Genua'', is recorded by
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...
('' Nat. Hist.'' 3.48) as part of the Augustean ''
Regio IX Liguria it, Ligure , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
''. Another theory traces the name to the
Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *The Etruscan language, an extinct language in ancient Italy *Something derived from or related to the Etruscan civilization **Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan ...
word ''Kainua'' which means "New City", based on an inscription on a pottery sherd reading ''Kainua'', which suggests that the Latin name may be a corruption of an older Etruscan one with an original meaning of "new town".


History


Prehistory and Roman times

The city's area has been inhabited since the fifth or fourth millennium BC, making it one of the
oldest continuously inhabited cities This is a list of present-day cities by the time period over which they have been continuously inhabited as a city. The age claims listed are generally disputed. Differences in opinion can result from different definitions of "city" as well as "c ...
in the world. In the fifth century BC the first town, or
oppidum An ''oppidum'' (plural ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread across Europe, stretchi ...
, was founded probably by the ancient Ligures (which gave the name to the modern region of
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
) at the top of the hill today called Castello (Castle), which is now inside the medieval old town. In this period the Genoese town, inhabited by the "Genuati" (a group of Ligure peoples), was considered "the emporium of the Ligurians", given its strong commercial character. The "Genoese oppidum" had an alliance with
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
through a ''foedus aequum'' (equal pact) in the course of the
Second Punic War The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...
. The
Carthaginians The Punic people, or western Phoenicians, were a Semitic people in the Western Mediterranean who migrated from Tyre, Phoenicia to North Africa during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' – the Latin equivalent of the ...
accordingly destroyed it in 209 BC. The town was rebuilt and, after the
Carthaginian Wars The Punic Wars were a series of wars between 264 and 146BC fought between Rome and Carthage. Three conflicts between these states took place on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region and involved a total of forty-three yea ...
ended in 146 BC, it received municipal rights. The original ''castrum'' then expanded towards the current areas of Santa Maria di Castello and the San Lorenzo promontory. Trade goods included skins, timber, and honey. Goods were moved to and from Genoa's hinterland, including major cities like
Tortona Tortona (; pms, Torton-a , ; lat, Dhertona) is a ''comune'' of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines. History ...
and
Piacenza Piacenza (; egl, label= Piacentino, Piaṡëinsa ; ) is a city and in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and the capital of the eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with over ...
. An amphitheater was also found there among other archaeological remains from the Roman period.


Middle Ages to early modern period


5th to 10th centuries

After the fall of the
Western Roman Empire The Western Roman Empire comprised the western provinces of the Roman Empire at any time during which they were administered by a separate independent Imperial court; in particular, this term is used in historiography to describe the period fr ...
, the
Ostrogoths The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the larg ...
occupied Genoa. After the
Gothic War Gothic War may refer to: *Gothic War (248–253), battles and plundering carried out by the Goths and their allies in the Roman Empire. *Gothic War (367–369), a war of Thervingi against the Eastern Roman Empire in which the Goths retreated to Mont ...
, the Byzantines made it the seat of their
vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
. When the
Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...
invaded Italy in 568, Bishop Honoratus of
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
fled and held his seat in Genoa. During this time and in the following century Genoa was little more than a small centre, slowly building its merchant fleet, which was to become the leading commercial carrier of the Western Mediterranean. In 934–35 the town was thoroughly sacked and burned by a
Fatimid fleet The navy of the Fatimid Caliphate was one of the most developed early Muslim navies and a major military force in the central and eastern Mediterranean in the 10th–12th centuries. As with the dynasty it served, its history can be distinguished ...
under
Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Tamimi Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Tamimi () was a naval commander in Fatimid service who led a major raid against the Italian coasts, Sardinia and Corsica in 934–935. Naval expedition Ya'qub was dispatched by Caliph al-Qa'im with a fleet of 20 vessels (accord ...
.


Rise of the Genoese Republic

Genoa started expanding during the
First Crusade The First Crusade (1096–1099) was the first of a series of religious wars, or Crusades, initiated, supported and at times directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The objective was the recovery of the Holy Land from Islamic ru ...
. At the time the city had a population of about 10,000. Twelve
galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...
s, one ship and 1,200 soldiers from Genoa joined the crusade. The Genoese troops, led by noblemen de Insula and Avvocato, set sail in July 1097. The Genoese fleet transported and provided naval support to the crusaders, mainly during the
siege of Antioch The siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098, on the crusaders' way to Jerusalem through Syria. Two sieges took place in succession. The first siege, by the crusaders against the city held by the Seljuk Empire, last ...
in 1098, when the Genoese fleet blockaded the city while the troops provided support during the siege. In the siege of Jerusalem in 1099
Genoese crossbowmen The Genoese crossbowmen ( it, Balestrieri genovesi) were a famous military corps of the Middle Ages, which acted both in defense of the Republic of Genoa and as a mercenary force for other Italian or European powers. Armed with crossbows, they ...
led by
Guglielmo Embriaco Guglielmo Embriaco (Latin ''Guillermus Embriacus'', Genoese ''Ghigærmo de ri Embrieghi'', English ''William the Drunkard''; born c. 1040), was a Genoese merchant and military leader who came to the assistance of the Crusader States in the afterm ...
acted as support units against the defenders of the city. The Republic's role as a maritime power in the Mediterranean region secured many favorable commercial treaties for Genoese merchants. They came to control a large portion of the trade of the
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
,
Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
(Libya), the
Principality of Antioch The Principality of Antioch was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade which included parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria. The principality was much smaller than the County of Edessa or the Kingdom of Jerusalem. It extende ...
,
Cilician Armenia The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Middle Armenian: , '), also known as Cilician Armenia ( hy, Կիլիկեան Հայաստան, '), Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia ( hy, ...
, and Egypt. Although Genoa maintained free-trading rights in Egypt and Syria, it lost some of its territorial possessions after Saladin's campaigns in those areas in the late 12th century.


13th and 14th centuries

The commercial and cultural rivalry of Genoa and Venice was played out through the thirteenth century. Thanks to the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
major role in the
Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
, meant that Venetian trading rights were enforced, and Venice gained control of a large portion of the commerce of the eastern Mediterranean. In order to regain control of the commerce, the Republic of Genoa allied with
Michael VIII Palaiologos Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( el, Μιχαὴλ Δούκας Ἄγγελος Κομνηνὸς Παλαιολόγος, Mikhaēl Doukas Angelos Komnēnos Palaiologos; 1224 – 11 December 1282) reigned as the co-emperor of the Empire ...
, emperor of
Nicaea Nicaea, also known as Nicea or Nikaia (; ; grc-gre, Νίκαια, ) was an ancient Greek city in Bithynia, where located in northwestern Anatolia and is primarily known as the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seve ...
, who wanted to restore the Byzantine Empire by recapturing
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
. In March 1261 the treaty of the alliance was signed in
Nymphaeum A ''nymphaeum'' or ''nymphaion'' ( grc, νυμφαῖον), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs. These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...
. On July 25, 1261, Nicaean troops under
Alexios Strategopoulos Alexios Komnenos Strategopoulos ( gr, Ἀλέξιος Κομνηνὸς Στρατηγόπουλος) was a Byzantine aristocrat and general who rose to the rank of ''megas domestikos'' and ''Caesar''. Distantly related to the Komnenian dynasty, ...
recaptured Constantinople. As a result, the balance of favour tipped toward Genoa, which was granted free trade rights in the Nicene Empire. The islands of
Chios Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of mastic ...
and
Lesbos Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Anatolia, Asia Minor ...
became commercial stations of Genoa as well as the city of
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
(Izmir). In the same century the Republic conquered many settlements in
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
, known as Gazaria, where the Genoese colony of
Caffa uk, Феодосія, Теодосія crh, Kefe , official_name = () , settlement_type= , image_skyline = THEODOSIA 01.jpg , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = Genoese fortress of Caffa , image_shield = Fe ...
was established. The alliance with the restored Byzantine Empire increased the wealth and power of Genoa, and simultaneously decreased Venetian and Pisan commerce. The Byzantine Empire had granted the majority of free trading rights to Genoa. Around the 14th century, Genoa was also considered responsible for the creation of the
Jeans Jeans are a type of pants or trousers made from denim or dungaree cloth. Often the term "jeans" refers to a particular style of trousers, called "blue jeans", with copper-riveted pockets which were invented by Jacob W. Davis in 1871 and paten ...
. Genoa's jean fabric was a
fustian Fustian is a variety of heavy cloth woven from cotton, chiefly prepared for menswear. It is also used figuratively to refer to pompous, inflated or pretentious writing or speech, from at least the time of Shakespeare. This literary use is beca ...
textile of "medium quality and of reasonable cost", very similar to cotton
corduroy Corduroy is a textile with a distinctively raised "cord" or wale texture. Modern corduroy is most commonly composed of tufted cords, sometimes exhibiting a channel (bare to the base fabric) between them. Both velvet and corduroy derive from fu ...
for which Genoa was famous, and was "used for work clothes in general". The
Genoese navy The Genoese navy was the naval contingent of the Republic of Genoa's military. From the 11th century onward the Genoese navy protected the interests of the republic and projected its power throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It played a ...
equipped its sailors with jeans, as they needed a fabric which could be worn wet or dry. As a result of the Genoese support to the Aragonese rule in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
, Genoa was granted free trading and export rights in the Kingdom. Genoese bankers also profited from loans to the new nobility of Sicily. While Corsica was formally annexed in 1347.


15th and 16th centuries

In the 15th century two of the earliest banks in the world were founded in Genoa: the
Bank of Saint George The Bank of Saint George ( it, Casa delle compere e dei banchi di San Giorgio or informally as ''Ufficio di San Giorgio'' or ''Banco'') was a financial institution of the Republic of Genoa. It was founded in 1407 to consolidate the public debt ...
, founded in 1407, which was the oldest state deposit bank in the world at its closure in 1805 and the
Banca Carige Banca Carige Società per azioni, S.p.A., historically known as Cassa di Risparmio di Genova e Imperia (Ca.Ri.Ge.) is an List of Italian banks, Italian bank based in Genoa, with more than 500 bank branches in Italy. The predecessor of the bank, a ...
, founded in 1483 as a
mount of piety A mount of piety is an institutional pawnbroker run as a charitable organization, charity in Europe from Renaissance times until today. Similar institutions were established in the colonies of Catholic countries; the Mexican Nacional Monte de Pie ...
, which still exists.
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
was born in Genoa  1451, and donated one-tenth of his income from the discovery of the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
for Spain to the
Bank of Saint George The Bank of Saint George ( it, Casa delle compere e dei banchi di San Giorgio or informally as ''Ufficio di San Giorgio'' or ''Banco'') was a financial institution of the Republic of Genoa. It was founded in 1407 to consolidate the public debt ...
in Genoa for the relief of taxation on foods. Under the ensuing economic recovery, many aristocratic Genoese families, such as the Balbi, Doria, Grimaldi, Pallavicini, and Serra, amassed tremendous fortunes. According to Felipe Fernandez-Armesto and others, the practices Genoa developed in the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
(such as chattel slavery) were crucial in the exploration and exploitation of the New World. Thereafter, Genoa underwent something of an associate of the
Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
, with Genoese bankers, in particular, financing many of the Spanish crown's foreign endeavors from their
counting house A counting house, or counting room, was traditionally an office in which the financial books of a business were kept. It was also the place that the business received appointments and correspondence relating to demands for payment. As the use of ...
s in
Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...
.
Fernand Braudel Fernand Braudel (; 24 August 1902 – 27 November 1985) was a French historian and leader of the Annales School. His scholarship focused on three main projects: ''The Mediterranean'' (1923–49, then 1949–66), ''Civilization and Capitalism'' ...
has even called the period 1557 to 1627 the "age of the Genoese", "of a rule that was so discreet and sophisticated that historians for a long time failed to notice it" (Braudel 1984 p. 157). The Genoese bankers provided the unwieldy
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
system with fluid credit and a dependably regular income. In return the less dependable shipments of American silver were rapidly transferred from Seville to Genoa, to provide capital for further ventures. Genoa's trade, however, remained closely dependent on control of Mediterranean sealanes, and the loss of
Chios Chios (; el, Χίος, Chíos , traditionally known as Scio in English) is the fifth largest Greek island, situated in the northern Aegean Sea. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. Chios is notable for its exports of mastic ...
to the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
(1566), struck a severe blow.


17th and 18th centuries

From the 17th century, the Genoese Republic started a period of slow decline, in May 1625 a French-Savoian army briefly laid siege to Genoa. Though it was eventually lifted with the aid of the Spanish, the French would later bombard the city in May 1684 for its support of Spain during the
War of the Reunions The War of the Reunions (1683–84) was a conflict between France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, with limited involvement by Genoa. It can be seen as a continuation of the 1667–1668 War of Devolution and the 1672–1678 Franco–Dutch War, ...
. In-between, a
plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
killed as many as half of the inhabitants of Genoa in 1656–57. Genoa continued its slow decline well into the 18th century, losing its last
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
colony, the island fortress of
Tabarka Tabarka ( ar, طبرقة ') is a coastal town located in north-western Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria. Tabarka's history is a mosaic of Berber, Punic, Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic, Genoese and Turkish culture. The town is dominated b ...
, to the
Bey of Tunis Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...
in 1742. The
Convention of Turin {{confused, Treaty of Turin (disambiguation) The Convention of Turin was a 1742 agreement between Austria and Sardinia signed in the Sardinian capital of Turin. It created a military alliance between the states, directly principally against Spain ...
of 1742, in which Austria allied with the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
, caused some consternation in the Republic. Consequently, the Republic of Genoa signed a secret treaty with the Bourbon allies of
Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...
,
Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
and
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...
. On 26 June 1745, the Republic of Genoa declared war on the Kingdom of Sardinia. This decision would prove disastrous for Genoa, which later surrendered to the Austrians in September 1746 and was briefly occupied before a revolt liberated the city two months later. In 1780, the Confetteria Romanengo was founded. In a much weaker state, Genoa was forced to cede Corsica to the French in the 1768
Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...
. The direct intervention of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
(during the Campaigns of 1796) and his representatives in Genoa was the final act that led to the fall of the Republic in early June, who overthrew the old elites which had ruled the state for all of its history, giving birth to the
Ligurian Republic The Ligurian Republic ( it, Repubblica Ligure, lij, Repubbrica Ligure) was a French client republic formed by Napoleon on 14 June 1797. It consisted of the old Republic of Genoa, which covered most of the Ligurian region of Northwest Italy, and ...
on June 14, 1797, under the watchful care of Napoleonic France. After Bonaparte's seizure of power in France, a more conservative constitution was enacted, but the Ligurian Republic's life was short—in 1805 it was annexed by France, becoming the ''
départements A department (, ) is an administrative or political division in several countries. Departments are the first-level divisions of 11 countries, nine in the Americas and two in Africa. An additional 10 countries use departments as second-level divi ...
'' of
Apennins Apennins was a department of the First French Empire of 1805-1814 in present-day Italy. Named after the Apennine Mountains, it originated on 6 June 1805, after France had directly annexed the Ligurian Republic (formerly the Republic of Genoa) ...
,
Gênes Gênes was a department of the French Consulate and of the First French Empire in present-day Italy. It was named after the city of Genoa. It was formed in 1805, when the Ligurian Republic (formerly the Republic of Genoa) was annexed directly t ...
, and Montenotte. Following the fall of Napoleon, Genoa regained an ephemeral independence, with the name of the ''Repubblica genovese'', which lasted less than a year. However, the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
established the annexation of the whole territories of the former Genoese Republic to the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
, governed by the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule of ...
, contravening the principle of restoring the legitimate governments and monarchies of the old Republic.


19th century

In the 19th century, Genoa consolidated its role as a major seaport and an important steel and shipbuilding centre. In Genoa in 1853, Giovanni Ansaldo founded Gio. Ansaldo & C. whose shipyards would build some of the most beautiful ships in the world, such as
ARA Garibaldi ARA ''Garibaldi'' was one of four armored cruisers purchased by the Argentine Navy from Italy. Design and description ''Garibaldi'' had an length overall, overall length of , a beam (nautical), beam of , and a mean draft (ship) of . She Displace ...
,
SS Roma SS ''Roma'' can refer to various ships: * SS ''Roma'', built as ''County of Sutherland'' in 1873 for R&J Craig, Glasgow, bought by British India Associated Steamers Ltd in 1881 and renamed ''Roma'', broken up 1898 * * , named ''Roma'' between 19 ...
, ,
SS Rex SS ''Rex'' was an Italian ocean liner launched in 1931. She held the westbound Blue Riband between 1933 and 1935. Originally built for the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) as SS ''Guglielmo Marconi'', its state-ordered merger with the Lloyd ...
,
SS Andrea Doria SS ''Andrea Doria'' , was an ocean liner for the Italian Line (Società di navigazione Italia) home-ported in Genoa, Italy, known for its sinking in 1956, where of the 1,706 passengers and crew, 1,660 were rescued, while 46 passengers and crew ...
,
SS Cristoforo Colombo SS ''Cristoforo Colombo'' () was an Italian ocean liner built in the 1950s, sister ship of the . Origins and construction The origins of the ''Cristoforo Colombo'' lie in the situation of the Italian Line at the end of World War II. The war h ...
, MS Gripsholm,
SS Leonardo da Vinci A number of steamships have been named Leonardo da Vinci, including: * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leonardo da Vinci Ship names pl:SS Leonardo da Vinci ...
,
SS Michelangelo SS ''Michelangelo'' was an Italian ocean liner built in 1965 for Italian Line by Ansaldo Shipyards, Genoa. She was one of the last ships to be built primarily for liner service across the North Atlantic. Her sister ship was the SS ''Raffaello' ...
, and
SS SeaBreeze SS ''Frederico C.'' was a cruise ship that made headlines when its passengers were unloaded mid-way through their cruise and the vessel was put under arrest in Halifax Harbour. The ship then sank in international waters three months later. At the t ...
. In 1854, the ferry company
Costa Crociere S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily caters to the Italian cruise ...
was founded. In 1861 the
Registro Italiano Navale RINA is a private, multinational company headquartered in Genoa, Italy. It was founded in 1861 under the name Registro Italiano Navale (''Italian Naval Register''). That same year, following the enforcement of a 1994 European Council directive r ...
Italian register of shipping was created, and in 1879 the
Yacht Club Italiano The Yacht Club Italiano is a yacht club in Genoa, Italy. History It was founded in 1879 and is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the Mediterranean. This club was bestowed Royal Patronage by HRH King Umberto I of Italy since its inception. This c ...
. The owner
Raffaele Rubattino Raffaele Rubattino (10 October 1810, Genoa – 2 November 1881) was an Italian entrepreneur and colonialist who started a shipping company that ran merchant ships on the routes to the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. He was also a founder of the Ital ...
in 1881 was among the founders of the ferry company
Navigazione Generale Italiana Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) was an Italian shipping company. History The company formed in 1881 by the merger of '' I & V. Florio'' of Palermo and ''Raffaele Rubattino'' of Genoa. At the time of the merger, the two companies both operate ...
which then become the
Italian Line Italian Line and from 1992 Italia Line, whose official name was Italia di Navigazione S.p.A., was a passenger shipping line that operated regular transatlantic services between Italy and the United States, and Italy and South America. During ...
. In 1870 was founded Banca di Genova which in 1895 changed its name to
Credito Italiano Credito Italiano also known as just Credit, was an Italian bank, now part of UniCredit. It was merged with Unicredito in 1998, forming Unicredito Italiano (now UniCredit). Circa 1999 to 2002 UniCredit created a new subsidiary of the same name to ru ...
and in 1998 became
Unicredit UniCredit S.p.A. is an international banking group headquartered in Milan. It is Italy's only systemically important bank (according to the list provided by the Financial Stability Board in 2022) and the world's 34th largest by assets. It was for ...
. In 1874 the city was completely connected by railway lines to France and the rest of Italy: Genoa-Turin, Genoa-Ventimiglia, Genoa-Pisa. In 1884
Rinaldo Piaggio Rinaldo Piaggio (1864-1938) was an Italian entrepreneur, senator, and founder of Piaggio. Career He founded Piaggio in 1884. It originally made furniture, then switched to aviation, building the Piaggio P.108 bomber. He was elected to the pos ...
founded Piaggio & C. that produced locomotives and railway carriages and then in 1923 began aircraft production. In 1888 the Banca Passadore was established. In 1898 the insurance company called
Alleanza Assicurazioni Alleanza Assicurazioni is an Italian insurance company based in Milan. It was founded in Genoa in 1898 and refounded in Milan in 2013. The company is particularly active in the life insurance sector. Alleanza was controlled with a stake of aroun ...
was founded.


20th century

In 1917
Lloyd Italico Lloyd Italico, Compagnia di assicurazioni e riassicurazioni known as Lloyd Italico was an Italian insurance company. It was specialized in maritime insurance. In 2006, the company was acquired by Assicurazioni Generali and maintained its brand ...
insurance company was founded. In 1956 Genoa took part in the
Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics The Regatta of the Historical Maritime Republics (or Palio of the Historical Maritime Republics) is a sporting event of historical re-enactment, established in 1955 with the aim of recalling the rivalry of the most famous Italian maritime republic ...
. In 1962
Genoa International Boat Show The Genoa International Boat Show ( it, Salone Nautico di Genova) is one of the world's premier boat shows, held annually in Genoa (Italy, EU). The exhibition is organised by Confindustria Nautica, the Italian Marine Industry Association. Histo ...
was established. In 1966
Euroflora Euroflora is an exhibition of flowers and ornamental plants. It represents one of the main events that take place in the Mediterranean and in the world on research to plant hybridization, cut flowers, potted plants, arboriculture, gardening and ...
was established. In 1970 Genoa was hit by a serious flood, which caused the
Bisagno Bisagno is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Gilio Bisagno (1903–1987), Italian swimmer * Tommaso Bisagno (1935–2014), Italian academic and politician See also * Bisagno Bisagno is an Italian surname. Notable peopl ...
stream to overflow. In 1987 the Banco di San Giorgio was established. In 1992 Genoa celebrated the Colombiadi or
Genoa Expo '92 L'Esposizione Internazionale Specializzata Genova '92 - Colombo '92 (in English ''International Exhibition Genoa '92 - Colombo '92'') or more informally Expo 1992, was held in Genoa, Italy from 15 May to 15 August 1992. The theme was "Christopher ...
, the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the
American Continent The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...
by
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
. The area of the ancient port of Genoa is restructured and expanded also with the works of the architect
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
.


21st century

The
27th G8 summit The 27th G8 summit was held in Genoa, Italy, on 20–22 July 2001 and is remembered as the peak of the worldwide anti-globalization movement as well as for human rights crimes against demonstrators. Overview The Group of Seven ( G7) was an unoffi ...
, that took place in July 2001, was hosted in the city of Genoa, however it was overshadowed by violent protests (
Anti-globalisation movement The anti-globalization movement or counter-globalization movement, is a social movement critical of economic globalization. The movement is also commonly referred to as the global justice movement, alter-globalization movement, anti-globalist m ...
), with one protester killed. In 2003, the
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) (in English: Italian Institute of Technology) is a scientific research centre based in Genoa (Italy, EU). Its main goal is the advancement of science, in Italy and worldwide, through projects and discoveri ...
(IIT) was established. In 2004, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
designated Genoa as the European Capital of Culture for that year, along with the French city of
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
. On 14 August 2018 the
Ponte Morandi (English: Morandi Bridge), officially (English: Polcevera Viaduct), was a road viaduct in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, constructed between 1963 and 1967 along the A10 motorway over the Polcevera River, from which it derived its official name. It c ...
viaduct bridge for motor vehicles collapsed during a torrential downpour, leading to 43 deaths. The remains of the
Ponte Morandi (English: Morandi Bridge), officially (English: Polcevera Viaduct), was a road viaduct in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, constructed between 1963 and 1967 along the A10 motorway over the Polcevera River, from which it derived its official name. It c ...
viaduct bridge were demolished in August 2019. The replacement bridge, the
Genoa-Saint George Bridge The Genoa Saint George Bridge ( it, Viadotto Genova-San Giorgio) is a motorway viaduct that crosses the Polcevera river and the districts of Sampierdarena and Cornigliano, in the city of Genoa. It was designed by architect Renzo Piano. The bri ...
was inaugurated in August 2020 during
COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. In 2023 Genoa becomes the finish of
The Ocean Race The Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three or four years since 1973. Originally named the Whitbread Round the World Race after its initiating sponsor, British brewing company Whitbread, in 2001 it became the Volvo Ocean Rac ...
.


Flag

The flag of Genoa is a
St. George's Cross In heraldry, Saint George's Cross, the Cross of Saint George, is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. Associated with the cr ...
, a red cross on a white field. The patron saint of Genoa was Saint
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
until at least 958, but the Genoese transferred their allegiance to
Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...
(and Saint
John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
) at some point during the 11th or 12th century, most likely with the rising popularity of the
military saint The Military Saints, Warrior Saints and Soldier Saints are patron saints, martyrs and other saints associated with the military. They were originally composed of the Early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution ...
during the
Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
. Genoa also had a banner displaying a cross since at latest 1218, possibly as early as 1113. But the cross banner was not associated with the saint; indeed, the saint had his own flag, the ''vexillum beati Georgii'' (first mentioned 1198), a red flag showing George and the dragon. A depiction of this flag is shown in the Genoese annals under the year 1227. The Genoese flag with the red cross was used alongside this "Saint George's flag", from at least 1218, known as the ''insignia cruxata comunis Janue'' ("cross ensign of the commune of Genoa"). The saint's flag was the city's main war flag, but the cross flag was used alongside it in the 1240s. The Saint George's flag (i.e. the flag depicting the saint) remained the main flag of Genoa at least until the 1280s. The flag now known as the "St. George's Cross" seems to have replaced it as Genoa's main flag at some point during the 14th century. The ''
Book of Knowledge of All Kingdoms The or ''Book of Knowledge of All Kingdoms'', also known as the ''Book of All Kingdoms'', is an anonymous 14th-century Castilian geographical and armorial manual (dated to ca. 1385). It is written in the form of imaginary autobiographical tr ...
'' (c. 1385) shows it, inscribed with the word ''iustiçia'', and described as: There was also a historiographical tradition claiming that the
flag of England The flag of England is the national flag of England, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is derived from Saint George's Cross (heraldic blazon: ''Argent, a cross gules''). The association of the red cross as an emblem of England ...
was adopted from the Genoese flag during the
Third Crusade The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by ...
in 1190, however, it cannot be substantiated as historical.


Geography

The city of Genoa covers an area of between the
Ligurian Sea The Ligurian Sea ( it, Mar Ligure; french: Mer Ligurienne; lij, Mâ Ligure) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the Italian Riviera (Liguria) and the island of Corsica. The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient L ...
and the
Apennine Mountains The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or  – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
. The city stretches along the coast for about from the neighbourhood of
Voltri Voltri is a quartiere of the Italian city of Genoa, located west of the city centre. It was formerly an independent comune. In 2015, Voltri and the nearby hamlets included in Genoa's VII Municipio (Crevari, Acquasanta, Vesima, Fabbriche) had a ...
to Nervi, and for from the coast to the north along the valleys
Polcevera The Polcevera (in Ligurian ''Pûçéivia'' or ''Ponçéivia'') is a river in Liguria (Italy). Geography The river is named the Polcevera from Pontedecimo, at the confluence of the Torrente Riccò (left-hand) and torrente Verde (right-hand). ...
and
Bisagno Bisagno is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Gilio Bisagno (1903–1987), Italian swimmer * Tommaso Bisagno (1935–2014), Italian academic and politician See also * Bisagno Bisagno is an Italian surname. Notable peopl ...
. The territory of Genoa is popularly divided into 5 main zones: the centre, the west, the east, the
Polcevera The Polcevera (in Ligurian ''Pûçéivia'' or ''Ponçéivia'') is a river in Liguria (Italy). Geography The river is named the Polcevera from Pontedecimo, at the confluence of the Torrente Riccò (left-hand) and torrente Verde (right-hand). ...
and the Bisagno Valley. Although much of the city centre is located at a low elevation, the territory surrounding it is mountainous with undeveloped land usually being in steep terrain. Genoa is adjacent to two popular Ligurian vacation spots:
Camogli Camogli (; lij, label= Genoese, Camoggi ) is a fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso in the Riviera di Levante, in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy. ...
and
Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...
. In the metropolitan area of Genoa lies
Aveto Natural Regional Park The Aveto Natural Regional Park is a natural park in Metropolitan City of Genoa, in the Liguria region of northern Italy). It was established in 1995. Geography Situated in the inland of the Tigullio area, Aveto Natural Regional Park protects o ...
.


Climate

Genoa has a borderline
humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(''Cfa'') and
Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(''Csa'') in the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, since only one summer month has less than of rainfall, preventing it from being classified as solely
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
, with a special note for the
Genoa low A Genoa low (also known as Genoa cyclogenesis, Ligurian depression, or V(5)-track cyclone) is a cyclone that forms or intensifies from a pre-existing cyclone to the south of the Alps over the Gulf of Genoa, Ligurian Sea, Po Valley and northern Ad ...
. The average yearly temperature is around during the day and at night. In the coldest months: December, January and February, the average temperature is during the day and at night. In the warmest months – July and August – the average temperature is during the day and at night. The daily temperature range is limited, with an average range of about between high and low temperatures. Genoa also sees significant moderation from the sea, in stark contrast to areas behind the Ligurian mountains such as
Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...
, where summers are hotter and winters are quite cold. Annually, the average 2.9 of nights recorded temperatures of ≤ (mainly in January). The coldest temperature ever recorded was in February 2012; the highest temperature ever recorded during the day is in August 2015. Average annual number of days with temperatures of ≥ is about 8, average four days in July and August. Average annual temperature of the sea is , from in the period January–March to in August. In the period from June to October, the average sea temperature exceeds . Genoa is also a windy city, especially during winter when northern winds often bring cool air from the
Po Valley The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...
(usually accompanied by lower temperatures, high pressure and clear skies). Another typical wind blows from
southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
, mostly as a consequence of Atlantic disturbances and storms, bringing humid and warmer air from the sea. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur almost every year, albeit big amounts in the city centre are rare. Genoa often receives heavy rainfall in autumn from strong convection. Even so, the overall number of precipitation days is quite modest for the annual yield. Annual average
relative humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...
is 68%, ranging from 63% in February to 73% in May. Sunshine hours total above 2,200 per year, from an average 4 hours of sunshine duration per day in winter to average 9 hours in summer. This value is an average between the northern half of Europe and North Africa.


Government


Municipal government

The Municipal Council of Genoa is currently led by a
right-wing Right-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, authorit ...
majority, elected in June 2017. The mayor is Marco Bucci, expression of a right-wing alliance composed by
Forza Italia Forza ItaliaThe name is not usually translated into English: ''forza'' is the second-person singular imperative of ''forzare'', in this case translating to "to compel" or "to press", and so means something like "Forward, Italy", "Come on, Ital ...
,
Lega Nord Lega Nord (; acronym: LN), whose complete name is (), is a right-wing, federalist, populist and conservative political party in Italy. In the run-up of the 2018 general election, the party was rebranded as (), without changing its official n ...
,
Fratelli d'Italia "" (; "The Song of the Italians") is a canto written by Goffredo Mameli set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847, and is the current national anthem of Italy. It is best known among Italians as the "" (, "Mameli's Hymn"), after the author of the ...
and other minor lists. Genoa was traditionally considered a leftist city and Bucci is the first right-wing mayor since 1975.


Administrative subdivision

The city of Genoa is subdivided into nine municipi (administrative districts), as approved by the Municipal Council in 2007.


Cityscape


Main sights

Notable to the city are the
Palazzi dei Rolli Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. * The ''Strade Nuove'' (Italian for "New Streets") are a ...
, included in
UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
'' Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli''. The world-famous Strade Nuove are
via Garibaldi Via or VIA may refer to the following: Science and technology * MOS Technology 6522, Versatile Interface Adapter * ''Via'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae * Via (electronics), a through-connection * VIA Technologies, a Taiwan ...
(Strada Nuova), via Cairoli (Strada Nuovissima) and via Balbi (Strada Balbi). Among the most important palaces are the
Palazzo Rosso The Palazzo Brignole Sale or Palazzo Rosso is a house museum located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. The palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Pa ...
,
Palazzo Bianco Palazzo Bianco ( en, White Palace) is one of the main buildings of the center of Genoa, Italy. It is situated at 11, via Garibaldi (known at one time as ''Strada Nuova'', and before that, ''Via Aurea''). It contains the Gallery of the White Pala ...
, Palazzo Podestà o di Nicolosio Lomellino,
Palazzo Reale This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...
,
Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola The Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola is a palace located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. It was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selected private residences where the notable guests of the R ...
,
Palazzo Pietro Spinola di San Luca Palazzo Pietro Spinola di San Luca is a 16th-century palace in Piazza di Pellicceria, Genoa, Italy. It is now a private residence, and it remains in good condition. It is one of the Palazzi dei Rolli, but it is not listed by UNESCO as World Her ...
and
Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria The Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria, also known as Palazzo Francesco Grimaldi, is a palace located in piazza di Pellicceria in the historical center of Genoa, Northwestern Italy. The palace was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selecte ...
. Genoa's historic centre is articulated in a maze of squares and narrow ''caruggi'' (typical Genoese alleys). It joins a
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
dimension with following 16th century and
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
interventions (the ancient Via Aurea, now
Via Garibaldi Via or VIA may refer to the following: Science and technology * MOS Technology 6522, Versatile Interface Adapter * ''Via'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae * Via (electronics), a through-connection * VIA Technologies, a Taiwan ...
). Near
Via Garibaldi Via or VIA may refer to the following: Science and technology * MOS Technology 6522, Versatile Interface Adapter * ''Via'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae * Via (electronics), a through-connection * VIA Technologies, a Taiwan ...
, through the public elevator Castelletto Levante, one can reach one of the most scenic places in the city, Belvedere Castelletto. The centre of Genoa is connected to its upper part by ancient paths caught between tall palaces, called ''creuze''. Walking along these small paths one can reach magnificent places like the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Loreto. Very beautiful is the upper ring road so-called Circonvallazione a Monte that includes Corso Firenze, Corso Paganini, Corso Magenta, Via Solferino, and Corso Armellini. San Lorenzo cathedral has a splendid portal and the dome designed by
Galeazzo Alessi Galeazzo Alessi (1512 – 30 December 1572) was an Italian architect from Perugia, known throughout Europe for his distinctive style based on his enthusiasm for ancient architecture. He studied drawing for civil and military architecture under the ...
. Inside is found the treasure of the Cathedral where among other objects there is also what is said to be the
Holy Chalice The Holy Chalice, also known as the Holy Grail, is in Christian tradition the vessel that Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve wine. The Synoptic Gospels refer to Jesus sharing a cup of wine with the Apostles in the New Testament, Apostles, sa ...
. The symbols of the city are the
Lanterna Lanterna is a musical project led by guitarist Henry Frayne, formerly of Lodestone Destiny, The Syndicate, Ack-Ack, Area and The Moon Seven Times. Their tracks are evocative soundscapes, usually instrumental, that focus on Frayne's melodic guita ...
(the lighthouse) ( high), old and standing lighthouse visible in the distance from the sea (beyond ), and the monumental fountain of
Piazza De Ferrari Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the s ...
, recently restored, out-and-out core of the city's life. Near
Piazza De Ferrari Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the s ...
and
Teatro Carlo Felice The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the side of Piazza De Ferrari. The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, and dates fr ...
is the Mazzini Gallery, a typical nineteenth-century structure with many elegant shops and coffee bars. Another tourist destination is the ancient seaside district of
Boccadasse Boccadasse (''Boca d'âze'' or ''Bocadâze'' in Genoese dialect, Genoese) is an old mariners' village of the Italy, Italian city of Genoa. It lies within the borders of the neighbourhood of Albaro. In today's administrative subdivision it is locat ...
(which means "the mouth of the donkey"), with its multicolour boats, set as a seal to Corso Italia, the promenade which runs along the Lido d'Albaro, and known for its ice-creams. After Boccadasse you can continue along the sea up to
Sturla Sturla (Stûrlâ in Ligurian) is a quartiere of Genoa. It began life as an ancient fishing village which developed around a number of small coves – Sturla a Mare, at the mouth of the Sturla river, Vernazzola and Boccadasse (Boccadasse is now in ...
. Just out of the city centre, but still part of the of coast included in the municipality's territory, are
Nervi Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Portofino on the Riviera di Levante, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent ''comune'', it is now a ''quartiere'' of Genoa. Nervi is 4 miles ( ...
, natural doorway to the Ligurian East
Riviera ''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...
, and
Pegli Pegli is a neighbourhood in the west of Genoa, Italy. With a mild climate and a sea promenade, Pegli is mainly a residential area with four public parks and several villas and mansions. It is also known as a tourist resort with some hotels, campi ...
, the point of access to the West
Riviera ''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...
. Nervi offers many attractions: the promenade overlooking the sea called ; parks covered with lush tropical vegetation; numerous villas and palaces open to the public that now house museums (like GAM-Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Raccolte Frugone Museum, Museo Giannettino Luxoro and Wolfsoniana). (see also ) The East Riviera of Genoa called Riviera di Levante is part of the
Italian Riviera The Italian Riviera or Ligurian Riviera ( it, Riviera ligure; lij, Rivêa lìgure) is the narrow coastal strip in Italy which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinall ...
. East Riviera is full of interesting towns to visit, and then from Genoa to east are:
Bogliasco Bogliasco ( lij, Boggiasco) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa. Together with the ''comuni'' of Camogli, Recco, Pieve Ligure and Sori, it is part of t ...
,
Pieve Ligure Pieve Ligure ( lij, A Ceive, locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa. The ''pieve'' of St. Michael Archangel, from which the town takes its name, h ...
, Sori,
Recco The RECCO is a rescue technology used by organised rescue teams as an additional tool to more quickly locate people buried by an avalanche or lost in the outdoors. The system is based on a harmonic radar system and composed by a detector and a p ...
,
Camogli Camogli (; lij, label= Genoese, Camoggi ) is a fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso in the Riviera di Levante, in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy. ...
,
Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...
,
Santa Margherita Ligure Santa Margherita Ligure ( lij, Santa Margaita) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa, in the area traditionally known as Tigullio. It has a port, used for b ...
,
Rapallo Rapallo ( , , ) is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, located in the Liguria region of northern Italy. As of 2017 it had 29,778 inhabitants. It lies on the Ligurian Sea coast, on the Tigullio Gulf, between Portofino and Chiavar ...
,
Zoagli Zoagli ( lij, Zoagi) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa. Zoagli is a popular destination during all seasons of the year by tourists from all over the wo ...
,
Chiavari Chiavari (; lij, Ciävai ) is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, in Italy. It has about 28,000 inhabitants. It is situated near the river Entella. History Pre-Roman and Roman Era A pre-Roman necropolis, which dates f ...
,
Lavagna Lavagna is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Italy. History and Culture The village, unlike nearby Chiavari which has pre-Roman evidence, seems to have developed in Roman times with the Latin name of ''Lavania''. The ...
and
Sestri Levante Sestri Levante ( la, Segesta Tigullorum/Segesta Tigulliorum) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, Italy. Lying on the Mediterranean Sea, it is approximately south of Genoa and is set on a promontory. While nearby ...
. In the west,
Pegli Pegli is a neighbourhood in the west of Genoa, Italy. With a mild climate and a sea promenade, Pegli is mainly a residential area with four public parks and several villas and mansions. It is also known as a tourist resort with some hotels, campi ...
is the site of the famous
Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini The Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini is a villa with notable 19th-century park in the English romantic style and a small botanical garden. The villa now houses the Museo di Archeologia Ligure, and is located at Via Pallavicini 13, immediately next to the ...
and
Arenzano Arenzano (local lij, Rensën) is a coastal town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy, facing the Ligurian Sea. , it has a population of 11,445. This varies during the holiday seasons due to tourist flow. There ...
is a seaside town at the foot of the
Parco naturale regionale del Beigua The Beigua Natural Regional Park (in Italian ''Parco naturale regionale del Beigua'') is a natural park located in province of Savona and the Metropolitan City of Genoa, both in Liguria (Italy). It's the largest protected area of the region. It g ...
. The new Genoa based its rebirth upon the restoration of the green areas of the immediate inland parts, among them the
Parco naturale regionale del Beigua The Beigua Natural Regional Park (in Italian ''Parco naturale regionale del Beigua'') is a natural park located in province of Savona and the Metropolitan City of Genoa, both in Liguria (Italy). It's the largest protected area of the region. It g ...
, and upon the construction of facilities such as the
Aquarium of Genoa The Aquarium of Genoa ( it, Acquario di Genova) is the largest aquarium in Italy. Located in the Old Harbour area of Genoa, Italy, the aquarium is a member organization of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and welcomes more th ...
in the Old Harbour – the biggest in Italy and one of the major in Europe – and its
Marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...
(the tourist small port which holds hundreds of pleasure boats). All of these are inside the restored Expo Area, arranged in occasion of the Columbian Celebrations of 1992. Near the city are
Camogli Camogli (; lij, label= Genoese, Camoggi ) is a fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso in the Riviera di Levante, in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy. ...
and
San Fruttuoso abbey The Abbey of San Fruttuoso is on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino. It is the seat of the Parish in the Catholic Church, Catholic parish of the same name of the Vicariate of Recco-Uscio-Camogli, Archdiocese of Genoa. The abbey is l ...
accessible by a daily ferry from the Old Harbour (Porto Antico) of Genoa. In the seabed in front of the San Fruttuoso abbey there is the
Christ of the Abyss ''Christ of the Abyss'' (Italian: ''Il Cristo degli Abissi'') is a submerged bronze statue of Jesus Christ by , the original cast of which is located in the Mediterranean Sea, off San Fruttuoso, between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Rivi ...
. From the Old Harbour one can reach by boat other famous seaside places around Genoa such as
Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...
or a little more distant,
Lerici Lerici ( lij, Lerxi, locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of La Spezia in Liguria (northern Italy), part of the Italian Riviera. It is situated on the coast of the Gulf of La Spezia, southeast of La Spezia. It is known as the place ...
and the
Cinque Terre The Cinque Terre (; lij, Çinque Tære, meaning "Five Lands") is a coastal area within Liguria, in the northwest of Italy. It lies in the west of La Spezia Province, and comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, ...
. The regained pride gave back to the city the consciousness of being capable of looking to the future without forgetting its past. The resumption of several flourishing hand-crafting activities, far-back absent from the ''caruggi'' of the old town, is a direct evidence of it. The restoration of many of Genoa's churches and palaces in the 1980s and the 1990s contributed to the city's rebirth. A notable example the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
, Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, sitting on the top of the hill of Carignano and visible from almost every part of the city. The total restoration of
Doge's Palace The Doge's Palace ( it, Palazzo Ducale; vec, Pałaso Dogal) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme auth ...
and of the Old Harbour, and the rebuilding of
Teatro Carlo Felice The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the side of Piazza De Ferrari. The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, and dates fr ...
, destroyed by bombing in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, were two more points of strength for the realisation of a new Genoa. Genoa could not renounce, especially as from the 1960s, to a great renewal, which as happened in several other metropolis, should necessarily get through the realisation of big
public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...
complexes, whose quality, utility and functionality has been and still is controversial for those residents living there. Concerning this, the most known cases are those of the so-called "Biscione", a development in the shape of a long snake, situated on the hills of the populous district of
Marassi The Stadio comunale Luigi Ferraris, also known as the Marassi from the name of the neighbourhood where it is located, is a multi-use stadium in Genoa, Italy. The home of Genoa C.F.C. and U.C. Sampdoria football clubs, it opened in 1911 and is ...
, and the one of the group of houses known as "Le Lavatrici" (the washing machines), in the district of Prà. Beyond a complete restyling of the area, the ancient port zone nearby the Mandraccio opening, in Porta Siberia, was enriched by Genoese architect
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
with a large sphere made of metal and glass, installed in the port's waters, not far from the
Aquarium of Genoa The Aquarium of Genoa ( it, Acquario di Genova) is the largest aquarium in Italy. Located in the Old Harbour area of Genoa, Italy, the aquarium is a member organization of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and welcomes more th ...
, and unveiled in 2001 in occasion of the
G8 Summit The Group of Eight (G8) was an inter-governmental political forum from 1997 until 2014. It had formed from incorporating Russia into the Group of Seven, or G7, and returned to its previous name after Russia left in 2014. The forum originated ...
held in Genoa. The sphere (called by the citizens "Piano's bubble" or "The Ball"), after hosting an exposition of fens from Genoa's Botanical Gardens, currently houses the reconstruction of a tropical environment, with several plants, little animals and butterflies. Piano also designed the subway stations and, in the hills area, the construction – in collaboration with
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
– of Punta Nave, base of the
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Renzo, the diminutive of Lorenzo, is an Italian masculine given name and a surname. Given name Notable people named Renzo include the following: *Renzo Alverà (1933–2005), Italian bobsledder *Renzo Arbore (born 1937), Italian TV host, show ...
. Nearby the Old Harbour is the so-called "
Matitone The Matitone (a popular nickname meaning literally ''"big pencil"'', officially San Benigno North Tower) is a skyscraper designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Mario Lanata and Andrea Messina and finished building in 1992, used as a business ce ...
", a skyscraper in shape of a pencil, that lays side by side with the group of the WTC towers, core of the San Benigno development, today base of part of the Municipality's administration and of several companies.


Churches

St. Lawrence Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo) is the city's cathedral, built in a Gothic-Romanesque style. Other notable historical churches are the Commandery of the Saint John's Order called ,
San Matteo Matthew the Apostle,, shortened to ''Matti'' (whence ar, مَتَّى, Mattā), meaning "Gift of YHWH"; arc, , Mattai; grc-koi, Μαθθαῖος, ''Maththaîos'' or , ''Matthaîos''; cop, ⲙⲁⲧⲑⲉⲟⲥ, Mattheos; la, Matthaeus a ...
, San Donato,
Santa Maria di Castello Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in Genoa, Italy. Administrated for a long time by the Dominicans, it is located in the ''Castello'' hill of the city, where in the Middle Ages a bishop's fortified castle existed. The chu ...
, Sant'Agostino (deconsecrated since the 19th century, sometimes is used for theatrical representations),
Santo Stefano Santo Stefano is the Italian name of Saint Stephen. Santo Stefano may also refer to: Places Islands *Santo Stefano (island), an island in Sardinia, Italy *Santo Stefano Island, an island in the Pontine Islands, Italy Cities, towns and villages i ...
, Santi Vittore e Carlo,
Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is the Catholic cathedral of Genoa, northern Italy; its decoration employed the major baroque studios and artists in Genoa in the 17th century. It is named ''Vastato'' because the area where it ...
, San Pietro in Banchi,
Santa Maria delle Vigne Santa Maria delle Vigne is a Roman Catholic basilica church in Genoa, Italy. It was built in the 10th century. The main altar was completed in 1730 by Giacomo Antonio Ponsonelli. The church is also the final resting place of the leading early It ...
, Nostra Signora della Consolazione,
San Siro Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro, is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy, which is the home of A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. It has a seating capacity of 80,018, making it one of the largest stadiums in ...
, , Santa Maria Assunta di Carignano and
Chiesa del Gesù Chiesa (Italian, 'church') may refer to: People with the surname *Andrea Chiesa (born 1966), Swiss Formula One racer *Anthony della Chiesa (1394–1459), Italian Dominican friar *Bruno della Chiesa (born 1962), European linguist * Carlo Alberto Da ...
.
San Bartolomeo degli Armeni San Bartolomeo degli Armeni is an Armenian Catholic church in the quarter of Castelletto in Genoa, northern Italy. The church was founded in 1308 by a group of monks who were fleeing the Turkish invasion of southern Armenia. Of the original edifi ...
houses the
Image of Edessa According to Christian tradition, the Image of Edessa was a holy relic consisting of a square or rectangle of cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus had been imprinted—the first icon ("image"). The image is also known as the M ...
and
San Pancrazio The basilica of San Pancrazio ( en, St Pancras; la, S. Pancratii) is a Roman Catholic ancient basilica and titular church founded by Pope Symmachus in the 6th century in Rome, Italy. It stands in via S. Pancrazio, westward beyond the Porta S ...
after the World War II was entrusted to the ligurian delegation of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
. These churches and basilicas are built in Romanesque (San Donato, Santa Maria di Castello, Commenda di San Giovanni di Pré), Gothic (San Matteo, Santo Stefano, Sant'Agostino), Baroque (San Siro) or Renaissance (Santa Maria Assunta di Carignano, San Pietro in Banchi) appearance, or a mix of different styles (Nostra Signora della Consolazione, Santissima Annunziata del Vastato; this last has a Baroque interior and a Neoclassicist façade). Another well known Genoese church is the shrine of
Saint Francis of Paola Francis of Paola, O.M., (or: Francesco di Paola or Francis the Fire Handler; 27 March 1416 – 2 April 1507) was an Italian mendicant friar and the founder of the Roman Catholic Order of Minims. Unlike the majority of founders of men's religiou ...
, notable for the outer courtyard overlooking the port and the memorial to all those who died at sea. This church is of artistic mention in that the tile depictions of the
Via Crucis The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitati ...
Stations along the brick path to the church. Near Genoa is found the
Shrine of Nostra Signora della Guardia The Shrine of Nostra Signora della Guardia ("Our Lady of the Watch") is a Roman Catholic place of pilgrimage located on the top of Monte Figogna (804 m asl) in the Municipality of Ceranesi, about from the city of Genoa, in the northwest of Italy ...
, (the sanctuary is said to have inspired the writer
Umberto Eco Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel ''The Name of the ...
in making his novel
The Name of the Rose ''The Name of the Rose'' ( it, Il nome della rosa ) is the 1980 debut novel by Italian author Umberto Eco. It is a historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery in the year 1327, and an intellectual mystery combining semiotics in fiction, ...
). Another interesting church in the neighborhoods of Genoa is
San Siro di Struppa San Siro di Struppa is a Roman Catholic, Romanesque-style church in Struppa, a neighborhood of Genoa, region of Liguria, Italy. History A Benedictine abbey was founded here in the Middle Ages, entitled to St. Syrus of Genoa, who, according to t ...
. The city was the birthplace of several popes (
Innocent IV Pope Innocent IV ( la, Innocentius IV; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254. Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universitie ...
,
Adrian V Pope Adrian V (Latin: ''Adrianus V''; c. 1210/1220 – 18 August 1276), born Ottobuono de' Fieschi, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 July 1276 to his death on 18 August 1276. He was an envoy of Pope Cle ...
,
Innocent VIII Pope Innocent VIII ( la, Innocentius VIII; it, Innocenzo VIII; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death in July 1492. Son of th ...
, and
Benedict XV Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ''Benedictus XV''; it, Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, name=, group= (; 21 November 185422 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His ...
) and various saints (
Syrus of Genoa Saint Syrus of Genoa ( it, San Siro di Genova) (died around June 29, 381 AD) was a priest and later bishop of Genoa during the fourth century AD. Life Born at Struppa, a neighborhood of Genoa, he had a reputation for holiness and zeal. He succee ...
,
Romulus of Genoa Saint Romulus of Genoa (also Remo; Italian: Romolo, Ligurian: Rœmu) was an early Bishop of Genoa, around the time of Saint Syrus. His dates are uncertain: since Jacobus de Voragine traditional lists compiled from local liturgies generally place ...
,
Catherine of Genoa Catherine of Genoa (Caterina Fieschi Adorno, 1447 – 15 September 1510) was an Italian Roman Catholic saint and mystic, admired for her work among the sick and the poor and remembered because of various writings describing both these acti ...
, and
Virginia Centurione Bracelli Virginia Centurione Bracelli ( lij, Virginnia Çentrioña, 2 April 1587 – 15 December 1651) was an Italian people, Italian noblewoman from Genoa. Her father was the Doge of Genoa, and she had a short marriage due to being widowed in 1607. She ...
). The Archbishop of Genoa
Jacobus de Voragine Jacobus de Voragine (c. 123013/16 July 1298) was an Italian chronicler and archbishop of Genoa. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of the ''Golden Legend'', a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medie ...
wrote the
Golden Legend The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...
. Also from Genoa were: Giovanni Paolo Oliva, the
Superior General of the Society of Jesus The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Po ...
;
Girolamo Grimaldi-Cavalleroni Girolamo Grimaldi-Cavalleroni (20 August 1597– 4 November 1685) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Aix. Early life Grimaldi was born in Genoa, the son of Giacomo Grimaldi, a senator of the Republic of Genoa ...
, the Archbishop of Aix;
Ausonio Franchi Ausonio Franchi (real name Cristoforo Bonavino) (24 February 1821, at Pegli, province of Genoa – 12 September 1895, at Genoa) was an Italian philosopher and editor. Life He entered the ecclesiastical state, and some time after his ordination t ...
, priest, philosopher, and theologian; Cardinal
Giuseppe Siri Giuseppe Siri (20 May 1906 – 2 May 1989) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Genoa from 1946 to 1987, and was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 1953. He was a protege of Pope Pius XII. He was considere ...
; and the priests
Francesco Repetto Monsignor Francesco Repetto (Genoa, 1914–1984) was an Italian priest and librarian. He is honored by Jews as a Righteous Among the Nations for his leading role in the clandestine DELASEM organization, which contributed to the saving of thousands ...
,
Giuseppe Dossetti Giuseppe Dossetti (13 February 1913 – 15 December 1996) was an Italian jurist, a politician, and from 1958 onward, a Catholic priest. Political career Dossetti was born in Genoa, the son of a piedmontese pharmacist and a mother from Regg ...
,
Gianni Baget Bozzo Gianni Baget Bozzo (8 March 1925 – 8 May 2009) was an Italian Catholic priest and politician. Baget Bozzo was born in Savona and raised in Genoa where he graduated in law. At one-time Christian-Democrat activist, in 1984 he was elected at ...
, and
Andrea Gallo Don Andrea Gallo (18 July 1928 – 22 May 2013) was an Italian presbyter, founder and leader of the community of San Benedetto al Porto of Genoa. He often called himself a "priest of the sidewalk", referring to his activity of helping poor and nee ...
. The present archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal
Angelo Bagnasco Angelo Bagnasco (; born 14 January 1943) is an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Genoa from 2006 to 2020. He was President of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) from 2007 to 2017 and was elevated to the rank of ...
, comes from a Genoese family but was born in
Pontevico Pontevico (Brescian: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is situated on the left bank of the river Oglio The Oglio (; Latin ''Ollius'', or ''Olius''; Lombard ''Òi''; Cremonese ''Ùi'') is a left-side tributary of t ...
, near
Brescia Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo. ...
(see also
Archdiocese of Genoa The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Ge ...
).


Buildings and palaces

The main features of central Genoa include the
Piazza De Ferrari Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the s ...
, around which are the
Opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
and the Palace of the Doges. The
Palazzo di San Giorgio The Palazzo San Giorgio or Palace of St. George (also known as the Palazzo delle Compere di San Giorgio) is a palace in Genoa, Italy. It is situated in the Piazza Caricamento. The palace was built in 1260 by Guglielmo Boccanegra, uncle of Simone ...
was the headquarters of the
Bank of Saint George The Bank of Saint George ( it, Casa delle compere e dei banchi di San Giorgio or informally as ''Ufficio di San Giorgio'' or ''Banco'') was a financial institution of the Republic of Genoa. It was founded in 1407 to consolidate the public debt ...
and was the place where
Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
and
Rustichello da Pisa Rustichello da Pisa, also known as Rusticiano (fl. late 13th century), was an Italian Romance (heroic literature), romance writer in Franco-Italian language. He is best known for co-writing Marco Polo's autobiography, ''The Travels of Marco Polo' ...
composed
The Travels of Marco Polo ''Book of the Marvels of the World'' ( Italian: , lit. 'The Million', deriving from Polo's nickname "Emilione"), in English commonly called ''The Travels of Marco Polo'', is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from st ...
. Outside the city walls is
Christopher Columbus House The Christopher Columbus House in Genoa, Italy, is an 18th-century reconstruction of the house in which Christopher Columbus grew up. Description The house is located outside Genoa's 14th-century walls. During the Renaissance, the area became s ...
, where
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
is said to have lived as a child. The current building is an 18th-century reconstruction of the original which was destroyed by the French naval bombing of 1684. Strada Nuova (now Via Garibaldi), in the old city, was inscribed on the
World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
in 2006. This district was designed in the mid-16th century to accommodate Mannerist palaces of the city's most eminent families. In Genoa there are 114 noble palaces (see also
Rolli di Genova Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. * The ''Strade Nuove'' (Italian for "New Streets") are a ...
): among these 42 are inscribed on the
World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
. Among the
Palazzi dei Rolli Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. * The ''Strade Nuove'' (Italian for "New Streets") are a ...
the most famous are
Palazzo Rosso The Palazzo Brignole Sale or Palazzo Rosso is a house museum located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. The palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Pa ...
(now a museum),
Palazzo Bianco Palazzo Bianco ( en, White Palace) is one of the main buildings of the center of Genoa, Italy. It is situated at 11, via Garibaldi (known at one time as ''Strada Nuova'', and before that, ''Via Aurea''). It contains the Gallery of the White Pala ...
,
Palazzo Tursi The palazzo Doria-Tursi or palazzo Niccolò Grimaldi is a building on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi in the historic town centre of Genoa. With Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco it houses the Strada Nuova Museums and on 13 July 2006 all three palaces and ...
, , ,
Palazzo Reale This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...
,
Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola The Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola is a palace located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. It was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selected private residences where the notable guests of the R ...
,
Palazzo Pietro Spinola di San Luca Palazzo Pietro Spinola di San Luca is a 16th-century palace in Piazza di Pellicceria, Genoa, Italy. It is now a private residence, and it remains in good condition. It is one of the Palazzi dei Rolli, but it is not listed by UNESCO as World Her ...
,
Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria The Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria, also known as Palazzo Francesco Grimaldi, is a palace located in piazza di Pellicceria in the historical center of Genoa, Northwestern Italy. The palace was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selecte ...
,
Palazzo Cicala The Palazzo Cicala is a 16th-century palace in Genoa. It has served as residences for several and as a business office. It is now a hotel. History The palace dates back to the mid-16th century, when it belonged to the aristocratic Cicala fami ...
. Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Rosso are also known as Musei di Strada Nuova. The famous art college is also located on this street. The Genoese artistic renaissance begins with the construction of commissioned by
Andrea Doria Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime. As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Repu ...
: the architects were
Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli (1507 – 31 August 1563), also known as Giovann'Agnolo Montorsoli, was a Florentine sculptor and Servite friar. He is today as often remembered for his restorations of famous classical works as his original crea ...
and Giovanni Ponzello, the interior was painted by
Perino del Vaga Perino (or Perin) del Vaga (nickname of Piero Bonaccorsi) (1501 – October 19, 1547) was an Italian painter and draughtsman of the Late Renaissance/Mannerism. Biography Perino was born near Florence. His father ruined himself by gambling, an ...
and the garden fountain was realised by
Taddeo Carlone Taddeo Carlone (died 25 March 1613) was a Swiss-Italian sculptor and architect. His father, Giovanni, was a sculptor from Como. A native of Rovio, in Ticino, he moved with his father to Genoa. Taddeo's brother Giuseppe was a sculptor with his ...
. In 1548
Galeazzo Alessi Galeazzo Alessi (1512 – 30 December 1572) was an Italian architect from Perugia, known throughout Europe for his distinctive style based on his enthusiasm for ancient architecture. He studied drawing for civil and military architecture under the ...
, with the project of , designed a new prototype of Genoese palace that would be an inspiration to other architects working in Genoa as
Bartolomeo Bianco Bartolomeo Bianco (1590 – 1657) was an Italian architect of the early Baroque. Born at Como, he was the designer of several palaces in Genoa, where he moved to follow his father, also an architect. His works include the building which is now ...
, Pietro Antonio Corradi, Rocco Lurago, Giovan Battista Castello, and Bernardino Cantone.
Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
wrote
Palazzi di Genova ''Palazzi di Genova'' is a 1622 book written and illustrated by Peter Paul Rubens, depicting and describing the palaces of Genoa, Italy in 72 plates. A second volume with 67 further plates was added the same year, and they are usually found (and r ...
in 1622, a book dedicated to the palaces of Genoa. Scattered around the city are many villas, built between the fifteenth and the twentieth centuries. Among the best known are: ,
Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini The Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini is a villa with notable 19th-century park in the English romantic style and a small botanical garden. The villa now houses the Museo di Archeologia Ligure, and is located at Via Pallavicini 13, immediately next to the ...
, , , , Villa Giustiniani-Cambiaso, , , , ,
Villa Rosazza Villa Di Negro Rosazza "dello Scoglietto" or "lo Scoglietto" is a villa located in the quarter of San Teodoro in Genoa, Northwestern Italy. It was built in 1565 for the Doge Ambrogio Di Negro o for his son Orazio, in a coastal area that used to be ...
, ,
Villa delle Peschiere Villa Pallavicino delle Peschiere is a 16th-century villa in Genoa, Northwestern Italy, built in 1560 for the nobleman Tobia Pallavicino. It is situated in via San Bartolomeo degli Armeni 25, in the quarter of Castelletto, in an area that, at the ...
, , , and . As it regards the 19th century remember the architects Ignazio Gardella (senior), and
Carlo Barabino Carlo Barabino (February 11, 1768 – September 3, 1835) was a prominent Italian architect of the Neoclassic period, active mainly in his native Genoa. He was a pupil of Giuseppe Barbieri. He designed the original Teatro Carlo Felice Opera Hous ...
which among other things, realises together with Giovanni Battista Resasco, the
Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno The Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno is an extensive monumental cemetery located on a hillside in the district of Staglieno of Genoa, Italy, famous for its monumental sculpture. Covering an area of more than a square kilometre, it is one of the ...
. The cemetery is renowned for its statues and sepulchral monuments that preserve the mortal remains of notable personalities, including
Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, , ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the in ...
,
Fabrizio De André Fabrizio Cristiano De André (; 18 February 1940 – 11 January 1999) was an Italian singer-songwriter, the most prominent ''cantautore'' of his time. His 40-year career reflects his interests in concept albums, literature, poetry, political pro ...
, and
Constance Lloyd Constance Mary Wilde (née Lloyd; 2 January 1858 – 7 April 1898) was an Irish author. She was the wife of Irish playwright Oscar Wilde and the mother of their two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. Early life and marriage The daughter of Horace Lloyd, ...
(Oscar Wilde's wife). In the first half of the 19th century they are completed the and the . In 1901 realised the ''Silos Granari''. The city is rich in testimony of the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
like
Albertis Castle , native_name_lang = , logo = , logo_size = , logo_alt = , logo_caption = , image = Castellodalbertis-6.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = D'Albertis Castle , map_type = , map_alt = , map_caption = , map_size = , map_dot_la ...
, , and
Mackenzie Castle The Mackenzie Castle (Italian: ''Castello Mackenzie'') is a historical manor in the Castelletto quarter of Genoa, northern Italy. It is an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Registered as a cultural spaceGino Coppedè Luigi "Gino" Coppedè (26 September 1866 – 20 September 1927) was an Italian architect, sculptor and decorator. He was an exponent of Art Nouveau. Biography Coppedè was born in Florence, a son of Mariano Coppedè and brother of Adolfo Co ...
. Genoa is also rich of
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
works, among which: , ,
Hotel Bristol Palace Hotel Bristol Palace is a 4-star Luxury hotel in Genoa, Italy on Via XX Settembre. History The hotel was designed by Dario Carbone and built in 1905. During World War 2, it housed the German command. At the end of the war, it housed the Natio ...
, and . Works of Rationalist architecture of the first half of the 20th century are Torre Piacentini and Piazza della Vittoria where
Arco della Vittoria The ''Arco della Vittoria'' (Victory Arch), also known as ''Monumento ai Caduti'' or ''Arco dei Caduti'' (Arch of the Fallen), is a memorial arch located in in Genoa, Italy. It is dedicated to the Genoese who died during World War I, and it was ...
, both designed by the architect
Marcello Piacentini Marcello Piacentini (8 December 1881 – 19 May 1960) was an Italian urban theorist and one of the main proponents of Italian Fascist architecture. Biography Born in Rome, he was the son of architect Pio Piacentini. When he was only 26, he was ...
. Other architects who have changed the face of Genoa in the 20th century are:
Ignazio Gardella Ignazio Gardella (30 March 1905 in Milan, Lombardy – 16 March 1999) was an Italian architect and designer. Biography Born into a family of architects, the first of whom was his namesake (1803–1867). Gardella graduated in engineering fr ...
, who realised the Piazza Rossetti and the residential complex so-called , ,
Aldo Rossi Aldo Rossi (3 May 1931 – 4 September 1997) was an Italian architect and designer who achieved international recognition in four distinct areas: architectural theory, drawing and design and also product design. He was one of the leading exponen ...
, ,
Franco Albini Franco Albini (17 October 1905 – 1 November 1977) was an Italian Neo-Rationalist architect, designer and university instructor in design. A native of Robbiate, near Milan, Albini obtained his degree in architecture at Politecnico di Milano U ...
who designed the interiors of
Palazzo Rosso The Palazzo Brignole Sale or Palazzo Rosso is a house museum located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. The palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Pa ...
, and . The
Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art in Genoa is an important collection of Asian art, one of the most significative collections in Europe and in Italy, along with the museums of Venice and Rome. The museum hosts the huge collection (over ...
, designed by Mario Labò, has one of the largest collections of Oriental art in Europe. Other notable architectural works include: the Old Harbour's new design with the
Aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...
, the and the by
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
, the
Palasport di Genova Palasport di Genova is an indoor arena in Genoa, Italy. The arena holds 15,000 spectators. It is primarily used for indoor athletics, motocross events and concerts. It is located within the area that hosts the Genoa Fair, of which it represents the ...
, the
Matitone The Matitone (a popular nickname meaning literally ''"big pencil"'', officially San Benigno North Tower) is a skyscraper designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Mario Lanata and Andrea Messina and finished building in 1992, used as a business ce ...
skyscraper, and the , by
Jean Nouvel Jean Nouvel (; born 12 August 1945) is a French architect. Nouvel studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was a founding member of ''Mars 1976'' and ''Syndicat de l'Architecture'', France’s first labor union for architects. He has ob ...
. Genoa was home to the
Ponte Morandi (English: Morandi Bridge), officially (English: Polcevera Viaduct), was a road viaduct in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, constructed between 1963 and 1967 along the A10 motorway over the Polcevera River, from which it derived its official name. It c ...
by
Riccardo Morandi Riccardo Morandi visiting Palace of Justice Competition. Riccardo Morandi (1 September 1902 – 25 December 1989) was an Italian civil engineer best known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete, although over the ...
, built in 1967, collapsed in 2018 and demolished February–June 2019.


Old Harbour

The Old Harbour ("Porto Antico" in Italian) is the ancient part of the port of Genoa. The harbour gave access to outside communities creating a good geographical situation for the city.Shaw, C. (2012). Genoa. In A. Gamberini & I. Lazzarini (Eds.). ''The Italian Renaissance State''. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press The city is spread out geographically along a section of the Liguria coast, which makes trading by ship possible. Before the development of car, train, and airplane travel, the main outside access for the city was the sea, as the surrounding mountains made trade north by land more difficult than coastal trade. Trade routes have always connected Genoa on an international scale, with increasingly farther reach starting from trade along Europe's coastline before the medieval period to today's connection across continents. In its heyday the
Genoese Navy The Genoese navy was the naval contingent of the Republic of Genoa's military. From the 11th century onward the Genoese navy protected the interests of the republic and projected its power throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It played a ...
was a prominent power in the Mediterranean. As the Genoa harbour was so important to the merchants for their own economic success, other nearby harbours and ports were seen as competition for a landing point for foreign traders. In the 16th century, the Genovese worked to destroy the local shipping competition, the Savona harbour. Taking matters into their own hands, the Genoa merchants and the politically powerful in Genoa attacked the harbour of Savona with stones. This action was taken to preserve the economic stability and wealth of the city during the rise in prominence of Savona. The Genovese would go as far as to war with other coastal, trading cities such as Venice, in order to protect the trade industry.
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
redeveloped the area for public access, restoring the historical buildings (like the Cotton warehouses) and creating new landmarks like the Aquarium, the Bigo and recently the "Bolla" (the Sphere). The main touristic attractions of this area are the famous Aquarium and the Museum of the Sea (MuMA). In 2007 these attracted almost 1.7 million visitors.


Walls and fortresses

The city of Genoa during its long history at least since the ninth century had been protected by different lines of
defensive wall A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
s. Large portions of these walls remain today, and Genoa has more and longer walls than any other city in Italy. The main
city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
are known as "Ninth century walls", "Barbarossa Walls" (12th century), "Fourteenth century walls", "Sixteenth century walls" and "New Walls" ("Mura Nuove" in Italian). The more imposing walls, built in the first half of the 17th century on the ridge of hills around the city, have a length of almost . Some fortresses stand along the perimeter of the "New Walls" or close them.


Parks

Genoa has of public parks in the city centre, such as Villetta Di Negro which is right in the heart of the town, overlooking the historical centre. Many bigger green spaces are situated outside the centre: in the east are the Parks of
Nervi Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Portofino on the Riviera di Levante, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent ''comune'', it is now a ''quartiere'' of Genoa. Nervi is 4 miles ( ...
() overlooking the sea, in the west the beautiful gardens of Villa Durazzo Pallavicini and its
Giardino botanico Clelia Durazzo Grimaldi The Giardino botanico Clelia Durazzo Grimaldi is a small botanical garden located on the grounds of the Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini in Pegli, a suburb of Genoa, Italy. It is a part of the romantic historical park made by Ignazio Pallavicini in 1846 ...
(). The numerous villas and palaces of the city also have their own gardens, like Palazzo del Principe, Villa Doria,
Palazzo Bianco Palazzo Bianco ( en, White Palace) is one of the main buildings of the center of Genoa, Italy. It is situated at 11, via Garibaldi (known at one time as ''Strada Nuova'', and before that, ''Via Aurea''). It contains the Gallery of the White Pala ...
and Palazzo Tursi, Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino,
Albertis Castle , native_name_lang = , logo = , logo_size = , logo_alt = , logo_caption = , image = Castellodalbertis-6.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = D'Albertis Castle , map_type = , map_alt = , map_caption = , map_size = , map_dot_la ...
, Villa Rosazza, Villa Croce, Villa Imperiale Cattaneo, Villa Bombrini, Villa Brignole Sale Duchessa di Galliera, Villa Serra and many more. The city is surrounded by natural parks such as
Parco naturale regionale dell'Antola The Antola Natural Regional Park (in Italian ''Parco naturale regionale dell'Antola'') is a natural park in Metropolitan City of Genoa (Liguria, Italy). It gets the name from the highest mountain of the area, Monte Antola. History The natural ...
,
Parco naturale regionale del Beigua The Beigua Natural Regional Park (in Italian ''Parco naturale regionale del Beigua'') is a natural park located in province of Savona and the Metropolitan City of Genoa, both in Liguria (Italy). It's the largest protected area of the region. It g ...
,
Aveto Natural Regional Park The Aveto Natural Regional Park is a natural park in Metropolitan City of Genoa, in the Liguria region of northern Italy). It was established in 1995. Geography Situated in the inland of the Tigullio area, Aveto Natural Regional Park protects o ...
and the
Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary Originally called the International Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary (Ligurian Sea Sanctuary), what is now known as the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals is a Marine Protected Area aimed at the protection of marine mammals ( cetacea ...
(a marine protected area).


Aquarium of Genoa

The
Aquarium of Genoa The Aquarium of Genoa ( it, Acquario di Genova) is the largest aquarium in Italy. Located in the Old Harbour area of Genoa, Italy, the aquarium is a member organization of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and welcomes more th ...
(in it, Acquario di Genova) is the largest
aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...
in Italy and among the largest in Europe. Built for
Genoa Expo '92 L'Esposizione Internazionale Specializzata Genova '92 - Colombo '92 (in English ''International Exhibition Genoa '92 - Colombo '92'') or more informally Expo 1992, was held in Genoa, Italy from 15 May to 15 August 1992. The theme was "Christopher ...
, it is an educational, scientific and cultural centre. Its mission is to educate and raise public awareness as regards conservation, management and responsible use of aquatic environments. It welcomes over 1.2 million visitors a year. Control of the entire environment, including the temperature, filtration and lighting of the tanks was provided by local Automation Supplier Orsi Automazione, acquired in 2001 by
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
. The Aquarium of Genoa is co-ordinating the AquaRing EU project. It also provides scientific expertise and a great deal of content for AquaRing, including documents, images, academic content and interactive online courses, via its Online Resource Centre.


Demographics

At the beginning of 2011, there were 608,493 people residing in Genoa, of whom 47% were male and 53% were female. The city is characterised by rapid aging and a long history of demographic decline, that has shown a partial slowdown in the last decade. Genoa has the lowest birth rate and is the most aged of any large Italian city. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled only 14.12% of the population compared to pensioners who number 26.67%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The median age of Genoa's residents is 47, compared to the Italian average of 42. The current birth rate of the city is only 7.49 births per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to the national average of 9.45.


Economy

The Genoa metropolitan area had a GDP amounting to $30.1 billion in 2011, or $33,003 per capita. Ligurian agriculture has increased its specialisation pattern in high-quality products (flowers,
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
,
olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...
) and has thus managed to maintain the gross value-added per worker at a level much higher than the national average (the difference was about 42% in 1999). The value of flower production represents over 75% of the agriculture sector turnover, followed by animal farming (11.2%) and vegetable growing (6.4%). Steel, once a major industry during the booming 1950s and 1960s, phased out after the late 1980s crisis, as Italy moved away from the heavy industry to pursue more technologically advanced and less polluting productions. So the Ligurian industry has turned towards a widely diversified range of high-quality and high-tech products (food, shipbuilding (in
Sestri Ponente Sestri Ponente is an industrial suburb of Genoa in northwest Italy. It is part of the Medio Ponente ''municipio'' of Genoa. Geography It is situated on the Ligurian Sea four miles to the west of the city, between Pegli and Cornigliano. Its pop ...
and in metropolitan area –
Sestri Levante Sestri Levante ( la, Segesta Tigullorum/Segesta Tigulliorum) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, Italy. Lying on the Mediterranean Sea, it is approximately south of Genoa and is set on a promontory. While nearby ...
), electrical engineering and electronics, petrochemicals, aerospace etc.). Nonetheless, the regions still maintains a flourishing shipbuilding sector (yacht construction and maintenance, cruise liner building, military shipyards). In the services sector, the gross value-added per worker in Liguria is 4% above the national average. This is due to the increasing diffusion of modern technologies, particularly in commerce and tourism. A good motorway network ( in 2000) makes communications with the border regions relatively easy. The main motorway is located along the coastline, connecting the main ports of Nice (in France), Savona, Genoa and La Spezia. The number of passenger cars per 1000 inhabitants (524 in 2001) is below the national average (584). On average, about 17 million tonnes of cargo are shipped from the main ports of the region and about 57 million tonnes enter the region. The
Port of Genoa The Port of Genoa it is one of the most important seaports in Italy, in competition with the ports of Marseille and Barcelona in the Mediterranean Sea. With a trade volume of 51.6 million tonnes, it is the busiest port of Italy after the port of ...
, with a trade volume of 58.6 million tonnes ranks first in Italy, second in terms of
twenty-foot equivalent units The twenty-foot equivalent unit (abbreviated TEU or teu) is an inexact unit of cargo capacity, often used for container ships and container ports.Rowlett, 2004. It is based on the volume of a intermodal container, a standard-sized metal box whic ...
after the
transshipment Transshipment, trans-shipment or transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, then to another destination. One possible reason for transshipment is to change the means of transport during the journey (e.g. ...
port of
Gioia Tauro Gioia Tauro () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria (Italy), on the Tyrrhenian coast. It has an important port, situated along the route connecting Suez to Gibraltar, one of the busiest maritime corridors in t ...
, with a trade volume of over 2 million TEUs. The main destinations for the cargo-passenger traffic are Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands. Some companies based in Genoa include
Ansaldo STS Hitachi Rail STS SpA (from ''Hitachi Rail Signalling and Transportation Systems'') or Hitachi Rail STS (previously Ansaldo STS) is a transportation company owned by Hitachi with a global presence in the field of railway signalling and integrated t ...
,
Ansaldo Energia Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in Ansa ...
,
Edoardo Raffinerie Garrone ERG S.p.A. is a publicly listed Italian energy company, founded in 1938, and based in Genoa, Italy. History ERG was founded by Edoardo Guida Garrone in 1938, founding a company for the refining of petroleum. In 1952, ERG signs an agreement to ...
,
Piaggio Aerospace Piaggio Aerospace, formerly Piaggio Aero Industries, is a multinational aerospace manufacturing company headquartered in Villanova d'Albenga, Italy. The company designs, develops, manufactures and maintains aircraft, aero-engines, aerospace co ...
,
Registro Italiano Navale RINA is a private, multinational company headquartered in Genoa, Italy. It was founded in 1861 under the name Registro Italiano Navale (''Italian Naval Register''). That same year, following the enforcement of a 1994 European Council directive r ...
,
Banca Carige Banca Carige Società per azioni, S.p.A., historically known as Cassa di Risparmio di Genova e Imperia (Ca.Ri.Ge.) is an List of Italian banks, Italian bank based in Genoa, with more than 500 bank branches in Italy. The predecessor of the bank, a ...
,
SLAM Slam, SLAM or SLAMS may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional elements * S.L.A.M. (Strategic Long-Range Artillery Machine), a fictional weapon in the ''G.I. Joe'' universe * SLAMS (Space-Land-Air Missile Shield), a fictional anti-ball ...
, and
Costa Cruises Società per Azioni, S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily ca ...
.


Education

The first organised forms of higher education in Genoa date back to the 13th century when private colleges were entitled to award degrees in medicine, Philosophy, Theology, Law, Arts. Today the
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
, founded in the 15th century, is one of the largest in Italy, with 11 faculties, 51 departments and 14 libraries. In 2007–2008, the university had 41,000 students and 6,540 graduates. Genoa is also home to other Colleges, Academies or Museums: * The
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
* The CNR Area della Ricerca di Genova * The
Accademia ligustica di belle arti The Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti is a tertiary academy of fine arts located in Genoa, Italy. It also houses a museum (Museo dell'Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti), which includes works of Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, Giuseppe Abbati, Anto ...
* The Accademia Ligure di scienze e lettere * The
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) (in English: Italian Institute of Technology) is a scientific research centre based in Genoa (Italy, EU). Its main goal is the advancement of science, in Italy and worldwide, through projects and discoveri ...
* The ISICT-istituto superiore di studi in tecnologie dell'informazione e della comunicazione * The
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Renzo, the diminutive of Lorenzo, is an Italian masculine given name and a surname. Given name Notable people named Renzo include the following: *Renzo Alverà (1933–2005), Italian bobsledder *Renzo Arbore (born 1937), Italian TV host, show ...
* The
OBR Open Building Research In 2000 Paolo Brescia and Tommaso Principi established the collective OBR to investigate new ways of contemporary living, creating a design network among Milan, London and New York. After working with Renzo Piano, Paolo and Tommaso have oriented th ...
* The Accademia Italiana della Marina Mercantile * The "
Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices f ...
" Conservatory * The Italian Hydrographic Institute * The
Deledda International School Deledda International School is a semi-private English-speaking school in Genoa, Italy. Despite being an independent school, the school is helped by the government of the Comune di Genova. It is not affiliated with the public school "Liceo Lingu ...
* The
Deutsche Schule Genua ( it, Scuola Germanica di Genova; "German School of Genoa") is a German international school in Genoa, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located ...
* The Genoa Comics Academy * The International School in Genoa * The
Russian Ballet Russian ballet (russian: Русский балет) (french: Ballet russe) is a form of ballet characteristic of or originating from Russia. Imperial Russian Ballet Until 1689, ballet in Russia was nonexistent (ballet has its origins in the cour ...
College The
Italian Institute of Technology The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) (in English: Italian Institute of Technology) is a scientific research centre based in Genoa (Italy, EU). Its main goal is the advancement of science, in Italy and worldwide, through projects and discoveri ...
was established in 2003 jointly by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research and the
Italian Minister of Economy and Finance The Italian Minister of Economy and Finance ( it, Ministro dell'Economia e delle Finanze) is a senior member of the Italian Cabinet who leads the Ministry of Economy and Finance since its creation in 2001 by the fusion of three former ministri ...
, to promote excellence in basic and applied research. The main fields of research of the Institute are
Neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, development ...
,
Robotics Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...
,
Nanotechnology Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal o ...
,
Drug discovery In the fields of medicine, biotechnology and pharmacology, drug discovery is the process by which new candidate medications are discovered. Historically, drugs were discovered by identifying the active ingredient from traditional remedies or by ...
. The central research labs and headquarters are located in Morego, in the neighbourhood of
Bolzaneto Bolzaneto is a quarter of the city of Genoa, in northwest Italy, and is part of the Municipality Valpolcevera of Genoa. Geography Bolzaneto was once a hamlet located outside of the city limits in the Polcevera valley, but in the recent centuries ...
.
Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
, based in
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
, United States has a villa in Genoa where architecture students and students in related fields can attend for a semester or year-long study program.
Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest uni ...
(FIU), based in
Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, United States also has a small campus in Genoa, with the
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
, which offers classes within the
FIU School of Architecture The FIU School of Architecture is the architecture school at Florida International University, located in Miami, Florida in the United States. It is one of the university's 26 schools and colleges and is a school within the College of Architectur ...
.


Science

Genoa is the birthplace of
Giovanni Battista Baliani Giovanni Battista Baliani (1582–1666) was an Italian mathematician, physicist and astronomer. Career He was born in Genoa. He was governor of Savona in 1647–1649 and captain of the Republic of Genoa's archers. For some 25 years, he held a cor ...
and
Vincentio Reinieri Vincentio (Vincenzio, Vincenzo) Reinieri (Renieri, Reiner) (30 March 1606 – 5 November 1647) was an Italian mathematician and astronomer. He was a friend and disciple of Galileo Galilei. Biography Born at Genoa, he was a member of the Olivetan ...
, of the geneticist
Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza (; 25 January 1922 – 31 August 2018) was an Italian geneticist. He was a population geneticist who taught at the University of Parma, the University of Pavia and then at Stanford University. Works Schooling and po ...
, of the Nobel Prize astrophysicist
Riccardo Giacconi Riccardo Giacconi ( , ; October 6, 1931 – December 9, 2018) was an Italian-American Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist who laid down the foundations of X-ray astronomy. He was a professor at the Johns Hopkins University. Biography Born in ...
and of the astronaut
Franco Malerba Franco Egidio Malerba (born 10 October 1946 in Busalla, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Italy) is an Italian astronaut and Member of the European Parliament. He was the first citizen of Italy to travel to space. In 1994, he was elected to the Europea ...
. The city is home to the Erzelli Hi-Tech Park, to the
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) (in English: Italian Institute of Technology) is a scientific research centre based in Genoa (Italy, EU). Its main goal is the advancement of science, in Italy and worldwide, through projects and discoveri ...
, to the Istituto idrografico della Marina and annually hosts the
Festival della Scienza The Festival della Scienza is an annual science festival held in Genoa, Italy. It was launched in 2003 combining hundreds of different initiatives and events, designed to fulfill and stimulate the interest of visitors of all ages and all levels o ...
. The city has an important tradition in the fields of the geology, paleontology, botany and naturalistic studies, among the most eminent personalities remember:
Lorenzo Pareto Lorenzo Nicolò Pareto (Genoa, 6 December 1800 – Genoa, 19 June 1865) was an Italian geologist and statesman. As a man of science, he is considered one of the fathers of modern geology. A member of the Italian National Academy of Sciences, h ...
,
Luigi d'Albertis Luigi Maria D'Albertis (21 November 1841 – 2 September 1901) was an Italian naturalist and explorer who, in 1875, became the first Italian to chart the Fly River in what is now called Papua New Guinea. He undertook three voyages up this river f ...
,
Enrico Alberto d'Albertis Enrico Alberto d'Albertis (23 March 1846 – 3 March 1932) was an Italian navigator, writer, philologist, ethnologist and philanthropist. His cousin Luigi Maria d'Albertis was also an explorer and naturalists. Biography Born at Voltri, now part o ...
,
Giacomo Doria Marquis Giacomo Doria (1 November 1840 – 19 September 1913) was an Italian naturalist, botanist, herpetologist, and politician. He was the founder of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Genoa in 1867, and director from then until his d ...
and
Arturo Issel Arturo Issel (Genoa April 11, 1842 – Genoa November 27, 1922) was an Italian geologist, palaeontologist, malacologist and archaeologist, born in Genoa. He is noted for first defining the Tyrrhenian Stage in 1914. Issel was also renowned at the ...
, we point the
Orto Botanico dell'Università di Genova The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Genova (1 hectare), also known as the Orto Botanico di Genova, is a botanical garden operated by the University of Genoa, and located at Corso Dogali, Genoa, Liguria, Italy. The garden was established in 1803 ...
. Very important and renowned is the
Istituto Giannina Gaslini The Istituto Giannina Gaslini is the biggest pediatric hospital of North Italy, located in Genoa, Genoa Quarto dei Mille and founded by the Italian industrialist, politician and phylanthropist Gerolamo Gaslini (Count of Saint Jerome) in 1938. It ...
. In 1846 the city hosted the eighth Meeting of Italian Scientists and in 1902
Luigi Carnera Luigi Carnera (born in Trieste April 14, 1875, died in Florence, July 30, 1962) was an Italian astronomer and mathematician. He discovered 16 minor planets in the early 20th century. The main-belt asteroid 39653 Carnera was named in his h ...
discovered an asteroid and called it "
485 Genua Genua (minor planet designation: 485 Genua) is a minor planet orbiting the Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its c ...
", dedicating it to the Latin name of Genoa.


Erzelli science technology park

The western area of Genoa hosts the Erzelli GREAT Campus, an under construction science technology park which houses the
high-tech High technology (high tech), also known as advanced technology (advanced tech) or exotechnology, is technology that is at the cutting edge: the highest form of technology available. It can be defined as either the most complex or the newest te ...
corporations
Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
,
Ericsson (lit. "Telephone Stock Company of LM Ericsson"), commonly known as Ericsson, is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm. The company sells infrastructure, software, and services in informat ...
,
Esaote Esaote SpA is an Italian company operating in the biomedical sector that deals with the design, production, sale and maintenance of equipment for medical diagnostics. History Esaote was founded in Genoa in 1982 as a division of Biomedical Elect ...
, and
robotics Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...
laboratories A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physicia ...
of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). The Erzelli GREAT Campus
science park A science park (also called a "university research park", "technology park”, "technopark", “technopole", or a "science and technology park" (STP)) is defined as being a property-based development that accommodates and fosters the growt ...
is undergoing a process of enlargement, and in the future will host the new Faculty of
Engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
of
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
. The project has been struggling in recent years with enterprises laying off their employees and no real growth.


Transport


Ports

Several cruise and ferry lines serve the passenger terminals in the old port, with a traffic of 3.2 million passengers in 2007.
MSC Cruises MSC Cruises ( it, MSC Crociere) is an Italian global cruise line registered in Switzerland and based in Geneva, with operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice. It was founded in 1989 in Naples, Italy, as part of the Mediterranean Shipping C ...
chose Genoa as one of its main home ports, in competition with the Genoese company
Costa Cruises Società per Azioni, S.p.A. (), operating as Costa Cruises, is an Italian cruise line founded in 1854 and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc since 2000. Based in Genoa, Genoa, Italy, the cruise line primarily ca ...
, which moved its home port to
Savona Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona used to be one of the chie ...
. The quays of the passenger terminals extend over an area of , with 5 equipped berths for cruise vessels and 13 for ferries, for an annual capacity of 4 million ferry passengers, 1.5 million cars and 250,000 trucks. The historical maritime station of Ponte dei Mille is today a technologically advanced cruise terminal, with facilities designed after the world's most modern airports, to ensure fast embarking and disembarking of latest generation ships carrying thousand passengers. A third cruise terminal is currently under construction in the redesigned area of Ponte Parodi, once a quay used for grain traffic. The ''
Costa Concordia ''Costa Concordia'' () was a cruise ship operated by Costa Crociere. She was the first of her class, followed by sister ships ''Costa Serena'', ''Costa Pacifica'', ''Costa Favolosa'' and ''Costa Fascinosa'', and ''Carnival Splendor'' built for ...
'' cruise ship, owned by Costa Cruises, was docked at the port before being dismantled.


Air transport

The Airport of Genoa (Italian: Aeroporto di Genova) also named Christopher Columbus Airport (Italian: Aeroporto Cristoforo Colombo) is built on an artificial peninsula, west of the city. The airport is currently operated by Aeroporto di Genova S.P.A., which has recently upgraded the airport complex, that now connects Genoa with several daily flights to Rome, Naples, Paris, London, Madrid and Munich. In 2008, 1,202,168 passengers travelled through the airport, with an increase of international destinations and charter flights.


Public transport

The main railway stations are Genoa Brignole in the east and Genoa Principe in the west. Genoa Brignole is close to the business districts and the exhibition centre, while the Principe is close to the port, the university and the historical centre. From these two stations depart the main trains connecting Genoa to France, Turin, Milan and Rome. Genoa's third most important station is Genoa Sampierdarena, which serves the densely populated neighbourhood of Sampierdarena. 23 other local stations serve the other neighbourhoods on the 30-kilometre-long coast line from
Nervi Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Portofino on the Riviera di Levante, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent ''comune'', it is now a ''quartiere'' of Genoa. Nervi is 4 miles ( ...
to
Voltri Voltri is a quartiere of the Italian city of Genoa, located west of the city centre. It was formerly an independent comune. In 2015, Voltri and the nearby hamlets included in Genoa's VII Municipio (Crevari, Acquasanta, Vesima, Fabbriche) had a ...
and on the northern line through
Bolzaneto Bolzaneto is a quarter of the city of Genoa, in northwest Italy, and is part of the Municipality Valpolcevera of Genoa. Geography Bolzaneto was once a hamlet located outside of the city limits in the Polcevera valley, but in the recent centuries ...
and the Polcevera Valley. The municipal administration of Genoa plans to transform these urban railway lines to be part of the rapid transit system, which now consists of the ''Metropolitana di Genova'' (
Genoa Metro __NOTOC__ The Genoa Metro ( it, Metropolitana di Genova) is a rapid transit consisting of a single line that connects the centre of Genoa, Italy with the suburb of Rivarolo Ligure, to the north-west of the city centre. The service is currently m ...
), a
light metro A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS’s trains are usually 1-4 cars, or 1 ligh ...
connecting Brin to the city centre. The metro line was extended to Brignole Station in December 2012. Trains currently pass through Corvetto station between De Ferrari and Brignole without stopping. A possible further extension towards the eastern, densely populated boroughs was planned, but the municipal administration intends to improve the public transport by investing in new tram lines instead of completing the extension of the light metro. The current stations of the metro line are Brin-Certosa, Dinegro, Principe, Darsena, San Giorgio, Sant'Agostino and De Ferrari, and the line is long. The city's hilly nature has influenced its public transport. The city is served by two
funicular railway A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
s (the
Zecca–Righi funicular The Zecca–Righi funicular ( it, Funicolare Zecca–Righi) is a funicular railway in the Italian city of Genoa connecting the ''Largo della Zecca'', on the edge of the historic city centre, to several stations on the slope of the Righi hill ...
, the
Sant'Anna funicular The Sant'Anna funicular ( it, Funicolare Sant'Anna) is a funicular railway in the Italian city of Genoa connecting the ''Piazza Portello'', on the edge of the historic city centre, to the ''Corso Magenta''. The line is one of several true funic ...
), the
Quezzi inclined elevator The Quezzi elevator ( it, Ascensore inclinato di Quezzi) is a public inclined elevator with variable slope in the Quezzi quarter of Genoa, Italy. The elevator opened in May 2015 and connects the lower terminus at ''Via Pinetti'' to the terminus a ...
, the
Principe–Granarolo rack railway The Principe–Granarolo rack railway ( it, Ferrovia Principe-Granarolo) is a rack railway in the Italian city of Genoa that connects ''via del Lagaccio'', near the Genoa Piazza Principe railway station, to the . The line is sometimes erroneousl ...
, and ten public
lift Lift or LIFT may refer to: Physical devices * Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods ** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop ** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobile ...
s. The city's metro, bus and
trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
network is operated by
AMT Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
(Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti S.p.A.). The Drin Bus is a
demand responsive transport Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
service that connects the hilly, low-density areas of Genoa. The average time people spend commuting on public transit in Genova, for example to and from work, is 54 min on a weekday. 10% of public transit riders ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 12 min, while 13% of riders wait over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 4 km, while 2% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.


Culture


Visual arts

Genoese painters active in the 14th century include
Barnaba da Modena Barnaba da Modena (c. 1328-c.1386) was a mid-14th-century Italy, Italian painter who painted in the style of Byzantine art.Raimond Van Marle, ''The Development of the Italian Schools of Painting'', Springer Science & Business Media, 2012, p. 382-3 ...
and his local followers
Nicolò da Voltri Nicolò da Voltri was an Italian painter who was active in Genoa from 1394 to 1417. He was the most important native painter in Liguria, a coastal region of northwestern Italy. His early development took place, probably in the 1370s, in the cir ...
and at the same time, the sculptor
Giovanni Pisano Giovanni Pisano (c. 1250 – c. 1315) was an Italian sculptor, painter and architect, who worked in the cities of Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. He is best known for his sculpture which shows the influence of both the French Gothic and the Ancient Rom ...
reached Genoa to make the monument for
Margaret of Brabant Margaret of Brabant (4 October 1276 – 14 December 1311), was the daughter of John I, Duke of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders. She was the wife of Henry, Count of Luxembourg, and after his election as King of Germany in 1308, she be ...
, whose remains are today housed in the . In the 16th century along with the flourishing trade between the Republic of Genoa and Flanders also grew the cultural exchanges. The painters
Lucas Lucas or LUCAS may refer to: People * Lucas (surname) * Lucas (given name) Arts and entertainment * Luca Family Singers, also known as "lucas ligner en torsk" * ''Lucas'' (album) (2007), an album by Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities * ''L ...
and
Cornelis de Wael Cornelis de Wael (Antwerp, 1592 – Rome, 1667) was a Southern Netherlands, Flemish painter, engraver and merchant who was primarily active in Genoa in Italy. He is known for his genre paintings, battle scenes, history paintings and still lifes ...
lived in Genoa for a long time, where they played the role of a magnet for many Flemish painters like Jaan Roos,
Giacomo Legi Giacomo Legi (±1600, probably in Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège, possibly in Antwerp - between 1640 and 1645, Milan) was a Baroque painter of Flemish descent who was active principally in northern Italy during the first half of the 17th cen ...
,
Jan Matsys Jan Massijs or Jan Matsys (c.1510 – 8 October 1575) was a Flemish Renaissance painter known for his history paintings, genre scenes and landscapes. He also gained a reputation as a painter of the female nude, which he painted with a sensua ...
,
Andries van Eertvelt Andries van Eertvelt (1590 – 1652), was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and engraver who was one of the first Flemish artists to specialize in marine art. Several of his pupils also became prominent marine artists.Vincent Malo Vincent Malo or Vincent Malo I ( Cambrai c. 1602 or 1606 – Rome, 14 April 1644) was a Flemish painter who after training and working in Antwerp was mainly active in Italy, where he was known, amongst others, as Vincenzo Malo, Vincenzo Malò ...
. This creative environment also attracted the two most important Flemish painters,
Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
and
Van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy. The seventh c ...
, who along with
Bernardo Strozzi Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...
. gave life to the Genoese Painting School of the 17th century. Much of the city's art is found in its churches and palaces, where there are numerous Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo frescos. They are rich in works of art the
Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
, the
Chiesa del Gesù Chiesa (Italian, 'church') may refer to: People with the surname *Andrea Chiesa (born 1966), Swiss Formula One racer *Anthony della Chiesa (1394–1459), Italian Dominican friar *Bruno della Chiesa (born 1962), European linguist * Carlo Alberto Da ...
where ''The Circumcision'' and the "''Miracles of St. Ignatius''" by
Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
, the ''Assunzione della Vergine'' by
Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious ...
. The Church of San Donato contains works of
Barnaba da Modena Barnaba da Modena (c. 1328-c.1386) was a mid-14th-century Italy, Italian painter who painted in the style of Byzantine art.Raimond Van Marle, ''The Development of the Italian Schools of Painting'', Springer Science & Business Media, 2012, p. 382-3 ...
,
Nicolò da Voltri Nicolò da Voltri was an Italian painter who was active in Genoa from 1394 to 1417. He was the most important native painter in Liguria, a coastal region of northwestern Italy. His early development took place, probably in the 1370s, in the cir ...
and
Joos van Cleve Joos van Cleve (; also Joos van der Beke; c. 1485–1490 – 1540/1541) was a leading painter active in Antwerp from his arrival there around 1511 until his death in 1540 or 1541. Within Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, he combines the tr ...
, the Church of Santo Stefano by
Giulio Romano Giulio Romano (, ; – 1 November 1546), is the acquired name of Giulio Pippi, who was an Italian painter and architect. He was a pupil of Raphael, and his stylistic deviations from High Renaissance classicism help define the sixteenth-centu ...
and the Church of Santa Maria Assunta the sculptures by
Filippo Parodi Filippo Parodi (1630 – 22 July 1702) was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, "Genoa's first and greatest native Baroque sculptor". Biography Born in Genoa into a family of sculptors, Parodi developed his facility with wood, then tr ...
and
Pierre Puget Pierre Paul Puget (16 October 1620 – 2 December 1694) was a French Baroque painter, sculptor, architect and engineer. His sculpture expressed emotion, pathos and drama, setting it apart from the more classical and academic sculpture of the ...
, very interesting is the
Santa Maria di Castello Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in Genoa, Italy. Administrated for a long time by the Dominicans, it is located in the ''Castello'' hill of the city, where in the Middle Ages a bishop's fortified castle existed. The chu ...
. But most of the works are kept in the Palaces like
Palazzo Bianco Palazzo Bianco ( en, White Palace) is one of the main buildings of the center of Genoa, Italy. It is situated at 11, via Garibaldi (known at one time as ''Strada Nuova'', and before that, ''Via Aurea''). It contains the Gallery of the White Pala ...
where " ''Ecce Homo''" by
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...
, " ''Susannah and the Elders''" by
Veronese Veronese is the Italian word denoting someone or something from Verona, Italy and may refer to: * Veronese Riddle, a popular riddle in the Middle Ages * ''Veronese'' (moth), a moth genus in the family Crambidae * Monte Veronese, an Italian chees ...
, and the ''
Garden Party in Albaro A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...
'' by Magnasco are kept,
Palazzo Rosso The Palazzo Brignole Sale or Palazzo Rosso is a house museum located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. The palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Pa ...
with the by
van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy. The seventh c ...
, by
Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as Guercino, or il Guercino , was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vig ...
and works of Dürer,
Bernardo Strozzi Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...
,
Mattia Preti Mattia Preti (24 February 1613 – 3 January 1699) was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John. Life Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was called ''Il Cava ...
,
Veronese Veronese is the Italian word denoting someone or something from Verona, Italy and may refer to: * Veronese Riddle, a popular riddle in the Middle Ages * ''Veronese'' (moth), a moth genus in the family Crambidae * Monte Veronese, an Italian chees ...
;
Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria The Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria, also known as Palazzo Francesco Grimaldi, is a palace located in piazza di Pellicceria in the historical center of Genoa, Northwestern Italy. The palace was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selecte ...
where the "''
Portrait of Giovanni Carlo Doria on Horseback The ''Portrait of Giovanni Carlo Doria on horseback'' is a 1606 painting by Peter Paul Rubens. It shows its subject (son of doge Agostino Doria) aged 30. It is now held in the Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola in Genoa. It was moved to Naples ...
''" by
Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
and by
Antonello da Messina Antonello da Messina, properly Antonello di Giovanni di Antonio, but also called Antonello degli Antoni and Anglicized as Anthony of Messina ( 1430February 1479), was an Italian painter from Messina, active during the Early Italian Renaissance. ...
(see also the series of Ecce Homo by Antonello da Messina) are kept,
Palazzo Tursi The palazzo Doria-Tursi or palazzo Niccolò Grimaldi is a building on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi in the historic town centre of Genoa. With Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco it houses the Strada Nuova Museums and on 13 July 2006 all three palaces and ...
with the Penitent Magdalene by
Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italian Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was inspired by the Baroque and the cl ...
, and
Palazzo Reale This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...
which contains works of
Strozzi Strozzi is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Numerous members of the Strozzi family, an ancient later ennobled family from Florence ** Alessandra Macinghi Strozzi (c. 1408–1471), an Italian businesswoman and aristocr ...
,
Gaulli Giovanni Battista Gaulli (8 May 1639 – 2 April 1709), also known as Baciccio or Baciccia (Genoese nicknames for ''Giovanni Battista''), was an Italian artist working in the High Baroque and early Rococo periods. He is best known for his grand ...
, Tintoretto,
van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy. The seventh c ...
, Simon Vouet,
Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as Guercino, or il Guercino , was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vig ...
. The most important Genoese painters are: Luca Cambiasi, Luca Cambiaso, Bernardo Castello, Bernardo and Valerio Castello, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, Domenico Piola, Domenico and Paolo Gerolamo Piola, Gregorio De Ferrari,
Bernardo Strozzi Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...
, Giovanni Battista Gaulli and Alessandro Magnasco. Sculptors include
Filippo Parodi Filippo Parodi (1630 – 22 July 1702) was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, "Genoa's first and greatest native Baroque sculptor". Biography Born in Genoa into a family of sculptors, Parodi developed his facility with wood, then tr ...
, the wood sculptor Anton Maria Maragliano, Francesco Maria Schiaffino and Agostino Carlini who was member of the Royal Academy. The famous humanist author, architect, poet and philosopher Leon Battista Alberti was born in Genoa on 14 February 1404. Simonetta Vespucci, considered the most beautiful woman of her time, was also born in Genoa. She is portrayed in ''The Birth of Venus'' and Primavera (painting), Primavera by Sandro Botticelli and in Portrait of Simonetta Vespucci (Piero di Cosimo), ''Portrait of Simonetta Vespucci'' by Piero di Cosimo. Genoa is also famous for its numerous tapestries, which decorated the city's many salons. Whilst the patrician palaces and villas in the city were and still are austere and majestic, the interiors tended to be luxurious and elaborate, often full of tapestries, many of which were Flemish. Famous is the Genoese lace called with its name of Turkish origin ''macramè''. Very used in Genoa is the cobblestone called ''Risseu'' and a kind of azulejo called ''laggioni''. Genoa has been likened by many to a Mediterranean New York, perhaps for its high houses that in the Middle Ages were the equivalent of today's skyscrapers, perhaps for the sea route Genoa-New York which in past centuries has been travelled by millions of emigrants. The architect Renzo Picasso in his visionary designs reinforces this strange affinity between the two cities. In the
Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno The Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno is an extensive monumental cemetery located on a hillside in the district of Staglieno of Genoa, Italy, famous for its monumental sculpture. Covering an area of more than a square kilometre, it is one of the ...
, you can admire some magnificent sculpture of the 19th century and early 20th century like Monteverde Angel by Giulio Monteverde, or works by artists such as Augusto Rivalta, Leonardo Bistolfi, Edoardo Alfieri, Santo Varni. Amongst the most notable Genoese painters of the 19th century and of the first half of the 20th century are Tammar Luxoro, Ernesto Rayper, Rubaldo Merello, and Antonio Giuseppe Santagata. The sculptor Francesco Messina also grew up in Genoa. In 1967 the Genoese historian, critic and curator Germano Celant coined the term Arte Povera. Enrico Accatino was another important art theorist and Emanuele Luzzati was the production designer and illustrator like Lorenzo Mongiardino, also a production designer and architect. Two other important artists are Emilio Scanavino and Vanessa Beecroft. The yearly International Cartoonists Exhibition was founded in 1972 in
Rapallo Rapallo ( , , ) is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, located in the Liguria region of northern Italy. As of 2017 it had 29,778 inhabitants. It lies on the Ligurian Sea coast, on the Tigullio Gulf, between Portofino and Chiavar ...
, near Genoa. A notable figure is the illustrator and comics artist Giovan Battista Carpi.


Literature

"Anonymous of Genoa" was one of the first authors in Liguria and Italy who wrote verses in the Vernacular. It explained that in Genoa
Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
and
Rustichello da Pisa Rustichello da Pisa, also known as Rusticiano (fl. late 13th century), was an Italian Romance (heroic literature), romance writer in Franco-Italian language. He is best known for co-writing Marco Polo's autobiography, ''The Travels of Marco Polo' ...
, in the prisons of Palazzo San Giorgio, wrote
The Travels of Marco Polo ''Book of the Marvels of the World'' ( Italian: , lit. 'The Million', deriving from Polo's nickname "Emilione"), in English commonly called ''The Travels of Marco Polo'', is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from st ...
. The
Golden Legend The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...
is a collection of hagiography, hagiographies written by the Archbishop of Genoa
Jacobus de Voragine Jacobus de Voragine (c. 123013/16 July 1298) was an Italian chronicler and archbishop of Genoa. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of the ''Golden Legend'', a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medie ...
. To animate the Genoese literary environment of the 16th century were Gabriello Chiabrera and "Ansaldo Cebà", the latter best known for his correspondence with Sara Copia Sullam. The city has been the birthplace of the historian Caffaro di Rustico da Caschifellone, of the poet "Martin Piaggio", of the famous historian, philosopher and journalist
Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, , ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the in ...
, of the writer Piero Jahier, of the poet Nobel Prize Eugenio Montale. The writer and translator Fernanda Pivano, the journalist "Vito Elio Petrucci" and the poet Edoardo Sanguineti, the literary critic Carlo Bo instead was born in
Sestri Levante Sestri Levante ( la, Segesta Tigullorum/Segesta Tigulliorum) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, Italy. Lying on the Mediterranean Sea, it is approximately south of Genoa and is set on a promontory. While nearby ...
near Genoa. We have also remember the dialet poet , the dialect "poeta crepuscolare" Giambattista Vigo, and the symbolist . The city of Genoa has been an inspiration to many writers and poets among which: Dino Campana, , who wrote "The mouth of the wolf" and Giorgio Caproni. Between the alleys of the historical centre there is the Old Libreria Bozzi. The "Berio Civic Library" houses the precious manuscript entitled "The Durazzo Book of Hours". In the first half of the 20th century, the Mazzini Gallery's was a meeting place of many artists, writers and intellectuals among which Guido Gozzano, Salvatore Quasimodo, Camillo Sbarbaro, Francesco Messina, , Eugenio Montale. In the thirties of the 20th century was active in Genoa the Circoli magazine and after the World War II the "Il Gallo" magazine. Coveted and known from the 1960s to the 1980s was the Genoese literary lounge animated by the writer . Dutch writer Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer wrote "La Superba", a novel in which Genoa is prominently featured. This was followed by the autobiographical novel "Brieven uit Genua". Since 1995, every June in Genoa the Genoa International Poetry Festival takes place, conceived by with the help of Massimo Bacigalupo.


Music

Genoa was a centre of Occitan literature, Occitan culture in Italy and for this reason it developed an important school of troubadours: Lanfranc Cigala, Jacme Grils, Bonifaci Calvo, Luchetto Gattilusio, Guillelma de Rosers, and Simon Doria. Genoa is the birthplace of the composer Simone Molinaro, violinist and composer
Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices f ...
, violinist Camillo Sivori and composer Cesare Pugni. In addition, the famous violin maker Paolo de Barbieri. Paganini's violin, Il Cannone Guarnerius, is kept in Palazzo Tursi. The city is the site of the Niccolò Paganini Music Conservatory. Alessandro Stradella, a composer of the middle baroque, lived in Genoa and was assassinated in 1682. Felice Romani was a poet who wrote many librettos for the opera composers like Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini. Giovanni Ruffini was another poet known for writing the libretto of the opera ''Don Pasquale'' for its composer. In 1847, Goffredo Mameli and Michele Novaro composed "Il Canto degli Italiani". In 1857, debuted the work of Giuseppe Verdi entitled ''Simon Boccanegra'' inspired by the first Doge of Genoa, Simone Boccanegra. Genoa is also the birthplace of the condcuctor Fabio Luisi and of many opera singers like Giuseppe Taddei, Margherita Carosio, Luciana Serra, Ottavio Garaventa, Luisa Maragliano and Daniela Dessì. The
Teatro Carlo Felice The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the side of Piazza De Ferrari. The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, and dates fr ...
was built in 1828 in the city in the Piazza De Ferrari, and named for the monarch of the then
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia,The name of the state was originally Latin: , or when the kingdom was still considered to include Corsica. In Italian it is , in French , in Sardinian , and in Piedmontese . also referred to as the Kingdom of Savoy-S ...
(which included the present regions of Sardinia, Piedmont and
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
). The theatre was the centre of music and social life in the 19th century. On various occasions in the history of the theatre, presentations have been conducted by Pietro Mascagni, Mascagni, Richard Strauss, Paul Hindemith, Hindemith and Igor Stravinsky, Stravinsky. Other Genoese theaters are the Politeama Genovese, Teatro Nazionale di Genova, Teatro Stabile in Genoa, Teatro della Tosse and Teatro Gustavo Modena. On the occasion of the
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
celebration in 1992, new musical life was given to the area around the old port, including the restoration of the house of Niccolò Paganini, Paganini and presentations of the ''trallalero'', the traditional singing of Genoese dock workers. The trallalero, traditional music in the Genoese dialect, is a polyphonic vocal music, performed by five men and several songs. The trallalero are ancient songs that have their roots in the Mediterranean tradition. Another aspect of the traditional Genoese music is the "Nostalgic Song". The principal authors and singers of the Nostalgic Song in Genoese dialect are who wrote the piece "Ma se ghe penso" (English: "But if I think about it"), a memory of Genoa by an emigrant to Argentina, , up to , , Buby Senarega, . The traditional Nostalgic Song will have a great influence on the so-called of singer-songwriters that in some cases will mix the nostalgic feeling with pop and jazz atmospheres. The singer Natalino Otto started the swing genre in Italy and his friend and colleague Pippo Barzizza was a composer, arranger, conductor and music director. Other musicians, composers and arrangers are Angelo Francesco Lavagnino, Gian Piero Reverberi, Gian Franco Reverberi, Oscar Prudente, Pivio and Aldo De Scalzi. Genoa in the second half of the 20th century was famous for an important school of Italian singer-songwriters, so-called , that includes Umberto Bindi, Luigi Tenco", "Gino Paoli", "Bruno Lauzi", "Fabrizio de André, Ivano Fossati, Angelo Branduardi" and Francesco Baccini. Nino Ferrer was also born in Genoa. In the 70s there were formed in Genoa numerous bands of Italian progressive rock like New Trolls, Picchio dal Pozzo, Latte e Miele, and Delirium. Today we point the band Buio Pesto and The Banshee (band), The Banshee band. Some songs about the city of Genoa are part of Italian popular culture, like "Via del Campo" and "La Città Vecchia" by Fabrizio de André, "Genova per noi" by Paolo Conte, "La Casa in Via del Campo" the song also sung by Amalia Rodrigues and "Piazza Alimonda" the song about the facts of 27th G8 summit, Genoa 2001 by Francesco Guccini. Fabrizio de André in 1984 released the album ''Crêuza de mä'', totally written in Genoese dialect. I Madrigalisti di Genova is a vocal and instrumental group formed in 1958 which specialised in medieval and Renaissance repertoire The city has numerous music festivals, among which are Concerts at
San Fruttuoso abbey The Abbey of San Fruttuoso is on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino. It is the seat of the Parish in the Catholic Church, Catholic parish of the same name of the Vicariate of Recco-Uscio-Camogli, Archdiocese of Genoa. The abbey is l ...
, Premio Paganini, I Concerti di San Torpete, International Music Festival Genova, We Love Jazz, Gezmatz Festival & Workshop, and Goa-Boa Festival. In the town of
Santa Margherita Ligure Santa Margherita Ligure ( lij, Santa Margaita) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa, in the area traditionally known as Tigullio. It has a port, used for b ...
the ancient abbey of Cervara is often the site of chamber music. Giovine Orchestra Genovese, one of the oldest concert societies in Italy, was founded in Genoa in 1912.


Cinema

Genoa has been the set for many films and especially for the genre called Poliziotteschi, Polizieschi. Notable directors born in Genoa include Pietro Germi and Giuliano Montaldo, the actors: Gilberto Govi, Vittorio Gassman, Paolo Villaggio, Alberto Lupo, the actresses: Lina Volonghi, Delia Boccardo, Rosanna Schiaffino, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Marcella Michelangeli and the pornographic actress Moana Pozzi. Before actor Bartolomeo Pagano's cinema career, he was a ''camallo'', which means stevedore, at the port of Genoa. His cinema career began with the film ''Cabiria'', one of the first and most famous kolossal. In 1985 were filmed in Genoa some scenes of ''Pirates (1986 film), Pirates'' by Roman Polanski, finished shooting they left in the Old Harbour the galleon Neptune (galleon), Neptune. Some films set in Genoa: * ''Agata and the Storm'' * ''Amore che vieni, amore che vai'', from the novel ''Un destino ridicolo'' * ''Attention! Bandits!'' * ''Behind Closed Shutters'' * ''The Blue-Eyed Bandit'' * ''Carlo Giuliani, Boy'' * ''The Case of the Bloody Iris'' * ''The Conspiracy in Genoa'' * ''Days and Clouds'' * ''Di che segno sei?'' * ''Diaz - Don't Clean Up This Blood'' * ''Father and Son (1994 film), Father and Son'' * ''General Della Rovere'' * ''Genova (2008 film), Genova'' * ''High Crime'' * ''In the Beginning There Was Underwear'' * ''The Magistrate (1959 film), The Magistrate'' * ''Mare Matto'' * ''Mark Shoots First'' * ''Mean Frank and Crazy Tony'' * ''Merciless Man'' * ''The Mouth of the Wolf (2009 film), The Mouth of the Wolf'' * ''Onde (film), Onde'' * ''The Police Serve the Citizens?'' * ''Processo contro ignoti'' * ''Scent of a Woman (1974 film), Scent of a Woman'' * ''Street Law (film), Street Law'' * ''Stregati'' * ''The Walls of Malapaga'' * ''The Yellow Rolls-Royce''


Language

The Genoese dialect (''Zeneize'') is the most important dialect of the Ligurian language (Romance), Ligurian language, and is commonly spoken in Genoa alongside Italian. Ligurian language (Romance), Ligurian is listed by Ethnologue as a language in its own right, of the Romance languages, Romance branch, the Ligurian (Romance language), Ligurian Romance language, and not to be confused with the Ligurian (ancient language), ancient Ligurian language. Like the languages of Lombardy, Piedmont, and surrounding regions, it is of Gallo-Italic languages, Gallo-Italic derivation.


Sports

There are two major football teams in Genoa: Genoa C.F.C. and U.C. Sampdoria; the former is the oldest football club operating in Italy (see History of Genoa C.F.C.). The football section of the club was founded in 1893 by James Richardson Spensley, an English doctor. Genoa C.F.C., Genoa 1893 has won Scudetto, 9 championships (between 1898 and 1924) and 1 Coppa Italia (1936–37). U.C. Sampdoria was founded in 1946 from the merger of two existing clubs, Andrea Doria (founded in 1895) and Sampierdarenese (founded in 1911). Sampdoria has won one Italian championship (1990–91 Serie A), 4 Coppa Italia, 1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1989–90) and 1 Supercoppa Italiana. Both Genoa C.F.C. and U.C. Sampdoria play their home games in the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Luigi Ferraris Stadium, which holds 36,536 spectators. Deeply felt is the derby called Derby della Lanterna. The international tennis tournament AON Open Challenger takes place in Genoa. In rugby union the city is represented by CUS Genova Rugby, which is the rugby union team of the
University of Genoa The University of Genoa, known also with the acronym UniGe ( it, Università di Genova), is one of the largest universities in Italy. It is located in the city of Genoa and regional Metropolitan City of Genoa, on the Italian Riviera in the Liguri ...
Sports Centre. CUS Genova had their peak in 1971–1973 when the team was runner-up of the Italian Serie A for three consecutive seasons and contested unsuccessfully the title to Petrarca Rugby. Amongst the CUS Genova players who represented Italy national rugby union team, Italy at international level the most relevant were Marco Bollesan and Agostino Puppo. In 1947 was founded the CUS Genova Hockey and in 1968 the basketball club Athletic Genova. The city hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1934 FIFA World Cup, 1934 and 1990 FIFA World Cup, 1990, in 1988 the 1988 European Karate Championships, European Karate Championships and in 1992 the 1992 European Athletics Indoor Championships, European Athletics Indoor Championships. In 2003 the indoor sporting arena, Vaillant Palace, was inaugurated. The city lends its name to a particular type of a sailing boat so-called Genoa (sail), Genoa sail, in 2007 the city hosts the Tall Ships' Races.


Cuisine

Popular sauces of Genoese cuisine include Pesto sauce, garlic sauce called Agliata, "Walnut Sauce" called , Green sauce, , Anchovy paste, Pasta d'acciughe and the meat sauce called tócco, not to be confused with the Genovese sauce, that in spite of the name is typical of the Neapolitan cuisine. The Genoese tradition includes many varieties of pasta as Trenette, Corzetti, Trofie, , Croxetti, gnocchi and also: Farinata, and Cuculli. Key ingredient of Genoese cuisine is the Prescinsêua used among other things to prepare the and the Barbagiuai and still , , and the which means "Focaccia with cheese" that is even being considered for
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
Protected geographical indication, PGI status. Other key ingredients are many varieties of fish as Sardines, Anchovies (see also and ), Garfish, Swordfish, Tuna, Octopus, Squid, Mussels, the ''Stoccafisso'' which means Stockfish (see also ), the Musciame and Gianchetti. Other elements of Genoese cuisine include the ''Ligurian Olive Oil'', the cheeses like Brös, , Santo Stefano d'Aveto, San Stè cheese, , the sausages like Testa in cassetta, and the Genoa salami which is the style of Genoa salami. Fresh pasta (usually trofie, trenette) and "gnocchi" with pesto sauce are probably the most iconic among Genoese dishes. Pesto sauce is prepared with fresh Genovese basil, pine nuts, grated parmesan and pecorino mixed, garlic and
olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...
pounded together. Liguria wine such as Pigato, , , Rossese di Dolceacqua and are popular. Dishes of Genoese tradition include the Tripe cooked in various recipes like Sbira, the Polpettone di melanzane, the ''Tomaxelle'', the , the Bagnun, the fish-consisting ''Ciuppin'' (the precursor to San Francisco's Cioppino), the Buridda, the and the . Two sophisticated recipes of Genoese cuisine are: the Cappon magro and the (a song by
Fabrizio De André Fabrizio Cristiano De André (; 18 February 1940 – 11 January 1999) was an Italian singer-songwriter, the most prominent ''cantautore'' of his time. His 40-year career reflects his interests in concept albums, literature, poetry, political pro ...
is titled A Çimma'' and is dedicated to this Genoese recipe). Originating in Genoa is ''Pandolce'' that gave rise to Genoa cake. The city lands its name to a special paste used to prepare cakes and pastries called Genoise and to the Pain de Gênes. In Genoa there are many food markets in typical nineteenth-century iron structures as Mercato del Ferro, Mercato Dinegro, Mercato di Via Prè, Mercato di piazza Sarzano, Mercato del Carmine, Mercato della Foce, Mercato Romagnosi. The instead is in masonry and has a circular structure.


People

Genoa has left an extraordinary impression on many noted personalities. Friedrich Nietzsche loved Genoa and wrote some of his works there. Sigmund Freud and Ezra Pound lived near Genoa in
Rapallo Rapallo ( , , ) is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, located in the Liguria region of northern Italy. As of 2017 it had 29,778 inhabitants. It lies on the Ligurian Sea coast, on the Tigullio Gulf, between Portofino and Chiavar ...
. Anton Chekhov said that Genoa "is the most beautiful city in the world," and Richard Wagner wrote: "I have never seen anything like this Genoa! it is something indescribably beautiful". Among the personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries who wrote about Genoa were Heinrich Heine, Osip Mandelstam, Aleksandr Ivanovich Herzen, Mary Shelley, Oscar Wilde, John Ruskin, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, Gustave Flaubert, Alexandre Dumas, Louis Énault, Valery Larbaud, Albert Camus, Paul Valéry, Francis Scott Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Paul Klee. Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Pietro Mascagni. Verdi in his work, ''Simon Boccanegra'', is inspired by the medieval history of the city. The poets Dino Campana, Camillo Sbarbaro and Giorgio Caproni have made Genoa a recurring element of their poetic work. Famous Genoese include Sinibaldo and Ottobuono Fieschi (Popes Innocent IV and Adrian V), Giovanni Battista Cybo (Pope Innocent VIII) and Giacomo della Chiesa (Pope Benedict XV), navigators
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
, Antonio de Noli,
Enrico Alberto d'Albertis Enrico Alberto d'Albertis (23 March 1846 – 3 March 1932) was an Italian navigator, writer, philologist, ethnologist and philanthropist. His cousin Luigi Maria d'Albertis was also an explorer and naturalists. Biography Born at Voltri, now part o ...
, Enrico de Candia (Henry, Count of Malta) and
Andrea Doria Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime. As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Repu ...
, composers
Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices f ...
and Michele Novaro, Italian patriots
Giuseppe Mazzini Giuseppe Mazzini (, , ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the in ...
, Goffredo Mameli and Nino Bixio, writer and translator Fernanda Pivano, poet Edoardo Sanguineti, Communist politician Palmiro Togliatti, architect
Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (20 ...
, art curator and critic Germano Celant, Physics 2002 Nobel Prize winner
Riccardo Giacconi Riccardo Giacconi ( , ; October 6, 1931 – December 9, 2018) was an Italian-American Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist who laid down the foundations of X-ray astronomy. He was a professor at the Johns Hopkins University. Biography Born in ...
, Literature 1975 Nobel Prize winner Eugenio Montale, the court painter Giovanni Maria delle Piane (Il Mulinaretto) from the Delle Piane family, artists Vanessa Beecroft, Enrico Accatino, comedians Gilberto Govi, Paolo Villaggio, Beppe Grillo, Luca Bizzarri, Paolo Kessisoglu and Maurizio Crozza; singer-songwriters Fabrizio de André, Ivano Fossati, Umberto Bindi, Bruno Lauzi and Francesco Baccini, while Luigi Tenco and Gino Paoli are also known as Genoese singer-songwriters, although they are respectively from Cassine, Piedmont, Cassine and Monfalcone; actor Vittorio Gassman, and actress Moana Pozzi, Giorgio Parodi who conceived the motorcycle company Moto Guzzi with Carlo Guzzi and Giovanni Ravelli. Some reports say the navigator and explorer Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) was also from Genoa, others say he was from
Savona Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona used to be one of the chie ...
. Roman Catholic saint, Saints from Genoa include Romulus of Genoa, Romulus, Syrus of Genoa, Syrus,
Catherine of Genoa Catherine of Genoa (Caterina Fieschi Adorno, 1447 – 15 September 1510) was an Italian Roman Catholic saint and mystic, admired for her work among the sick and the poor and remembered because of various writings describing both these acti ...
. Among the latest generations, musicians like Andrea Bacchetti, Giulio Plotino, Sergio Ciomei, Lorenzo Cavasanti, Stefano Bagliano and Fabrizio Cipriani, as well as academics and authors like Michele Giugliano and Roberto Dillon, help in keeping the name of the city on the international spotlight in different fields among the arts, technology and culture.


Museums

* Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti *
Albertis Castle , native_name_lang = , logo = , logo_size = , logo_alt = , logo_caption = , image = Castellodalbertis-6.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = D'Albertis Castle , map_type = , map_alt = , map_caption = , map_size = , map_dot_la ...
* Doge's Palace, Genoa *
Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art in Genoa is an important collection of Asian art, one of the most significative collections in Europe and in Italy, along with the museums of Venice and Rome. The museum hosts the huge collection (over ...
* Galata - Museo del mare * Villa Saluzzo Serra, Galleria d'arte moderna (GAM) * Lighthouse of Genoa *
Mackenzie Castle The Mackenzie Castle (Italian: ''Castello Mackenzie'') is a historical manor in the Castelletto quarter of Genoa, northern Italy. It is an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Registered as a cultural spacePalazzo Bianco Palazzo Bianco ( en, White Palace) is one of the main buildings of the center of Genoa, Italy. It is situated at 11, via Garibaldi (known at one time as ''Strada Nuova'', and before that, ''Via Aurea''). It contains the Gallery of the White Pala ...
*
Palazzo Reale This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Massa ...
*
Palazzo Rosso The Palazzo Brignole Sale or Palazzo Rosso is a house museum located in Via Garibaldi, in the historical center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. The palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Pa ...
*
Palazzi dei Rolli Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. * The ''Strade Nuove'' (Italian for "New Streets") are a ...
*
Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria The Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria, also known as Palazzo Francesco Grimaldi, is a palace located in piazza di Pellicceria in the historical center of Genoa, Northwestern Italy. The palace was one of the 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa, the selecte ...
* Via del Campo 29 rosso * Villa Grimaldi Fassio, Raccolte Frugone *
Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini The Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini is a villa with notable 19th-century park in the English romantic style and a small botanical garden. The villa now houses the Museo di Archeologia Ligure, and is located at Via Pallavicini 13, immediately next to the ...
*


Promenades

Corso Italia runs for in the quartiere of Albaro, linking two neighbourhoods of Foce and
Boccadasse Boccadasse (''Boca d'âze'' or ''Bocadâze'' in Genoese dialect, Genoese) is an old mariners' village of the Italy, Italian city of Genoa. It lies within the borders of the neighbourhood of Albaro. In today's administrative subdivision it is locat ...
. The promenade, which was built in 1908, overlooks the sea, towards the promontory of
Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...
. The main landmarks are the small lighthouse of Punta Vagno, the San Giuliano Abbey, and the Lido of Albaro. , promenade overlooking the sea and long,
Nervi Nervi is a former fishing village 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Portofino on the Riviera di Levante, now a seaside resort in Liguria, in northwest Italy. Once an independent ''comune'', it is now a ''quartiere'' of Genoa. Nervi is 4 miles ( ...
. Promenade of the upper ring road, so-called "Circonvallazione a Monte" that includes: Corso Firenze, Corso Paganini, Corso Magenta, Via Solferino, Corso Armellini. Walks can be made from the centre of Genoa following one of the many ancient paths between tall palaces and the "Creuze" to reach the higher areas of the city where there are magnificent places like Belvedere Castelletto, the "Righi's district", the "Santuario di Nostra Signora di Loreto", the "Santuario della Madonnetta", the "Santuario di San Francesco da Paola". Monte Fasce gives a complete view of the city. To reach the hinterland of the
Province of Genoa The Province of Genoa (Italian ''Provincia di Genova'') was a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Genoa. It was replaced by Metropolitan City of Genoa. Overview It has an area of and a total population of about ...
one can use the Genoa – Casella, Liguria, Casella Old Railway, of railway between the Genoese mountains.


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Genoa is Sister city, twinned with: *Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, United States *Marseille, France *Murcia, Spain *Odesa, Ukraine *Rijeka, Croatia *Ryazan, Russia


Cooperation agreements

As of 2013, Genoa had bilateral agreements with: *Acqui Terme, Italy *Athens, Greece *Azuchi, Shiga, Azuchi, Japan *Barcelona, Spain *Belém, Brazil *Bogotá, Colombia *Buenos Aires, Argentina *Capo di Ponte, Italy *Castelsardo, Italy *Constanța, Romania *Cremona, Italy *Dalian, China *Deva, Romania, Deva, Romania *Guayaquil, Ecuador *Havana, Cuba *Kaolack, Senegal *Kyiv, Ukraine *Latakia, Syria *
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
, France *Lyon, France *Mantua, Italy *El Mina, Lebanon *Moscow, Russia *Nice, France *Ovada, Italy *La Paz, Bolivia *Pizzo Calabro, Italy *Pointe-Noire, Congo *Polokwane, South Africa *Saint Petersburg, Russia *Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic *Siena, Italy *Sousse, Tunisia *Sumqayıt, Azerbaijan *Turin, Italy *Tursi, Italy *Valparaíso, Chile *Varna, Bulgaria, Varna, Bulgaria *Yekaterinburg, Russia


Consulates

*Albania *Austria *Belgium *Bangladesh *Brazil *Chile *Colombia *Costa Rica *Cyprus *Czech Republic *Denmark *Dominican Republic *Ecuador *El Salvador *Estonia *Finland *France *Germany *Greece *Guinea *Haiti *Hungary *Kazakhstan *Latvia *Lithuania *Luxembourg *Malta *Monaco *Netherlands *Norway *Panama *Peru *Poland *Portugal *Republic of the Congo *Romania *Russia *San Marino *Senegal *South Africa *South Korea *Spain *Sweden *Switzerland *Thailand *Tunisia *Turkey *Uganda *List of diplomats of Great Britain to the Republic of Genoa, United Kingdom *United States *Uruguay


Notable people


See also

* List of tallest buildings in Genoa


Notes


References


Bibliography

* Gino Benvenuti. ''Le repubbliche marinare. Amalfi, Pisa, Genova e Venezia''. Netwon Compton, Rome, 1989. * Steven A. Epstein; ''Genoa & the Genoese, 958–1528'' University of North Carolina Press, 1996
online edition
* Steven A. Epstein; "Labour and Port Life in Medieval Genoa." ''Mediterranean Historical Review''. 3 (1988): 114–40. * Steven A. Epstein; "Business Cycles and the Sense of Time in Medieval Genoa." Business History Review 62 (1988): 238–60. * Face Richard. "Secular History in Twelfth-Century Italy: Caffaro of Genoa." ''Journal of Medieval History'' 6 (1980): 169–84. * Hughes Diane Owen. "Kinsmen and Neighbors in Medieval Genoa." In ''The Medieval City,'' edited by Harry A. Miskimin, David Herlihy, and Adam L. Udovitch, 1977, 3–28. * Hughes Diane Owen. "Urban Growth and Family Structure in Medieval Genoa." ''Past and Present'' 66 (1975): 3–28. * Lopez Robert S. "Genoa." In ''Dictionary of the Middle Ages,'' pp. 383–87. 1982. * Vitale Vito. ''Breviario della storia di Genova.'' Vols. 1–2. Genoa, 1955. * Giuseppe Felloni – Guido Laura "''Genova e la storia della finanza: una serie di primati ?" "Genoa and the history of finance: a series of firsts ?"'' 9 November 2004, (www.giuseppefelloni.it) * Van Doosselaere, Quentin, ''Commercial Agreements and Social Dynamics in Medieval Genoa'' (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009). * Гавриленко О. А., Сівальньов О. М., Цибулькін В. В. Генуезька спадщина на теренах України; етнодержавознавчий вимір. — Харків: Точка, 2017.— 260 с. —


External links


Official Site
* https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1211 {{Authority control Companies based in Genoa Genoa, Coastal towns in Liguria Italian Riviera Mediterranean port cities and towns in Italy Metropolitan City of Genoa Roman towns and cities in Italy Capitals of former nations World Heritage Sites in Italy