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Genoa

Genoa
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli represent an innovative form of urban planning. They are also considered landmarks in Baroque and Mannerist architecture.

Le Strade Nuove consists of the Via Garibaldi, Via Balbi and Via Cairoli. They are known for their aristocrat houses and the Palazzi dei Rolli (palaces). The palaces were built between the 16th and 18th centuries by local noble families. They were also used for official representative purposes by the Republic of Genoa (those that were on the list, the Rollo).

Year Decision Comments
2006 Inscribed Reasons for inscription



Visit February 2013

Genoa was a welcome surprise after gloomy Turin. Although both its main train stations promised nothing good, I quickly fell for Genoa’s bustling mediterranean atmosphere. The medieval quarter is an interesting maze to walk in, especially in the dark of the evening. There are plenty of café’s and restaurants to sample the local specialities, such as the focaccia bread.

I stayed for 2 nights at the Hotel Metropoli. My room came with a view on (part of) the WHS, the 3 former palazzi on Piazza Fontane Marose. One is now occupied by a bank – and that proved to be the case with several other of the 42 former Rolli-palaces. The buildings are too large for residences nowadays, having 3 or 4 floors and covering a decent portion of a street block. One only wonders if all these banks are still able to pay for it….

Early Tuesday morning I walked the streets that are covered by this WHS. I visited the interior of 4 palaces: Spinola, Rosso, Bianchi and Tursi. More I could not handle, and to be honest I already was bored at Palazzo Rosso. This is being refurbished at the moment, and all that remains is an art collection. Art (mostly paintings) also features heavily in the other palaces, they serve as museums. It might be offensive to say, but it is mostly second rate art (students of Caravaggio etc.). Or just not to my taste.

Italy has presented this WHS cleverly, has found an interesting angle with the focus on the “Rolli-system”. The “palaces” (actually town villas) themselves aren’t spectacular in their own right.

More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery

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Reviews

Clyde (Malta):
I visited this WHS in September 2006. The Strade Nuove of Genoa are an example of early urban development projects. The Palazzi dei Rolli are truly unique. There are several historical and cultural sights to see in Genoa as well as modern structures such as the Matitone, the Bigo and the port.
Date posted: September 2012
john booth (New Zealand):
Only a few metres down via Balbi from the Piazza Principe station is the huge Palazzo Reale. Passing through the entrance I came to a spacious courtyard with an arched gateway leading to the garden overlooking the port of Genova.
Suitably impressed I continued past several other palazzi lining via Balbi, Cairoli and Garibaldi before reaching the stately Piazza Fontaine Morose.
Returning to the station I visited the interior of Palazzi Spinola, Rosso and Bianca and diverted to visit the narrow streets of La Madelena, via San Luca and via Lomellini.
Date posted: September 2011
Frederik Dawson (Netherlands):
Located on the shore of Mediterranean sea, Genoa or Genova is famously known for its maritime heritages under its former glory, the Most Serene Republic of Genoa, and today the capital of Liguria and the biggest port of Italy as well as part of industrial hub together with Turin and Milan, and incredibly one of biggest well preserved medieval city in Europe. I entered Genoa with no expectation, after I took the new metro line from the train station to the city center of Piazza De Ferrari, the first image of Genoa was really surprised me with the wide square of grand buildings and many cute red and green fountains, a mini Trafalgar square I would described, also the nearby Palazzo Ducale and the cathedral were also the same league of magnificent.

I continued my tour to the Via Garibaldi which is a part of Strada Nuova, a grand road that built to make a new city area in 1550 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At first I saw the road, I really disappointed to see that the road was not a wide nice boulevard of stately mansions but a narrow lane and quite dark since the whole road had buildings blocking the sun, not a good place to stay in my opinion, but if compared with the medieval part of Genoa with full of complicated alleys, the road was really wide. Both sides of the road were cramped with palaces of Genoa’s noble families rivaling each other by building more magnificent palaces

The palaces were beautiful, and built in the different styles, my favorite one was the Palazzo Lomellini Nicolosio with its lovely blue and white stucco and dreamy ceilings. The Palazzo Spinola was also great with great fresco while Palazzo Baldassare was simply elegant with its green tone. The biggest palace on Via Garibaldi is the Municipio or Palazzo Bianco which has nice gardens, and don’t forget to admire the Palazzo Rosso which now turned to be an art museum. All in all, these palaces were just amazing and show us how wealthy of the owners and the economic power of the bygone Republic of Genoa.

In my opinion, all the palaces were deserved to be protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites as the representative of Genoa in world history, but why not included the entire great medieval city of Genoa? Why Italian Government decided to nominate just a small part of this city and use the whole medieval zone as buffer area. I did not know or this was just another technique of nomination, to nominate just a small part of the city instead of large area which required more works and more money and maybe more fights with ICOMOS and UNESCO? Anyway Genoa turned to be my surprised, and Via Garibaldi was a fine place to visit, not a must but just an extra place to fill your trip while looking for a nice pasta with Pesto alla Genovese in this La Superba.
Date posted: May 2010
Assif Am-David (Israel):
Genoa used to be a major trading centre and a prospering independent republic. Its wealth is certainly evident in the Palazzi of Strada nuova although they were added as a later extention to the already existing medievil city (which makes the Genovese city centre the biggest old city complex in Europe!). The Palazzi didn't impress me much from the outside. They have standard Renaissance facades and I would even add I saw much more beautiful ones in other Italian cities (like Venice or Florence). The streets are dark and narrow as in the medievil quarter. The impression changes considerably, however, once you enter the Palazzi. The interior is lavishly decorated and is very beautiful. Some Palazzi have lovely gardens (like Doria and Tursi for instance). Don't miss the two art museums dwelling in the Red Palace and White Palace (Palazzo rosso and Palazzo bianco) which face each other. For information consult: www.stradanuova.it It documents all palaces along this street.
In general, Genoa is not a very charming city. It is mainly the area of the ancient port which was a bit of a disappointment to me. But if you know what you are looking for you can come across charming churches and palazzi - so do prepare for your visit. Famous attractions are also the Acquarium and Staglieno Cemetery. Avoid Colombus' natal house. It's a tourist trap. A nearby WHS is Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera. It is well adopted for a day trip out of Genoa.
 


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