The Palazzo Doria-Spinola or Palazzo Antonio Doria is a palace located in largo Eros Lanfranco in the historical center of Genoa, Northwestern Italy. The palace was one of the 163

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 ...

of Genoa, one of those selected private residences where notable guests of the Republic of Genoa were hosted during State visits. On 13 luglio del 2006 it was added to the list of 42 palaces which now form the UNESCO World Heritage Site ''Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli''. The palace now hosts the Prefecture of Genoa and the seat of the Province of Genoa. It is possible to visit the areas of the building which are open to the public.

The Rolli of Genoa

The ''Rolli di Genova'' - or, more precisely, the ''Rolli degli alloggiamenti pubblici di Genova'' (Italian for "Lists of the public lodgings of Genoa") were the official lists at the time of the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the Lat ...

of the private palaces and mansions, belonging to the most distinguished Genoese families, which - if chosen through a public lottery - were obliged to host on behalf of the Government the most notable visitors during their State visit to the Republic. Later, these palaces hosted many famous visitors to Genoa during their

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tuto ...

, a cultural itinerary around Italy

History

Antonio Doria, cousin of the Genoese Admiral

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 ...

, after his former residence was demolished to make way to the construction of the new walls, commissioned the palace to Bernardino Cantone and, later, to Giovan Battista Castello. The area was, at the time, immersed in nature near the demolished Acquasola Gate, which the same new walls had made redundant. At the end of the 16th century, Taddeo Carlone completed the facade with the marble portal at the main entrance. In 1624 the palace passed to the

Spinola family The House of Spinola, or Spinola family, was a leading Italian political family centered in the Republic of Genoa. Their influence was at its greatest extent in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Important members Guido Spinola was one o ...

, which expanded it to the East with a richly-decorated gallery by Andrea Ansaldo, demolished in the 19th century to open via Roma. The main rooms were decorated by Giovanni and Luca Cambiaso with scenes from the Trojan War and battles between sea monsters. The palace contains a room inspired by the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican, documenting the achievements of the

Doria family The House of Doria ( lij, Döia ) originally ''de Auria'' (from ''de filiis Auriae''), meaning "the sons of Auria", and then ''de Oria'' or ''d'Oria'', is an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the ...

and, in particular, of the first owner Antonio Doria, who worked as strategist for the Spanish Crown. In 1877, the palace became the seat of the Province of Genoa and the Prefecture.

References

Bibliography

* Gioconda Pomella (2007), Guida Completa ai Palazzi dei Rolli Genova, Genova, De Ferrari Editore( ) * Mauro Quercioli (2008), I Palazzi dei Rolli di Genova, Roma, Libreria dello Stato ( ) * Fiorella Caraceni Poleggi (2001), Palazzi Antichi e Moderni di Genova raccolti e disegnati da Pietro Paolo Rubens (1652), Genova, Tormena Editore ( ) * Mario Labò (2003), I palazzi di Genova di P.P. Rubens, Genova, Nuova Editrice Genovese

Gallery

File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (prefettura) 02.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (Genoa) 05.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (prefettura) 04.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (prefettura) 19.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (prefettura) 03.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (prefettura) 16.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (Genoa) 06.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (Genoa) 07.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Palazzo Doria Spinola (Genoa) 03.JPG, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:PalazzoDoriaSpinola3.jpg, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Pierre Paul Rubens - Palazzi di Genova, vol. II - Figura 41.jpg, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genoa File:Genova-Liguria-Italy - Creative Commons by gnuckx (3619740191).jpg,

External links