Genoa, Capital of Culture 2004
Temmuz 26, 2010 | General Posts About the Region
Genoa (Italian, Genova) is a historical port city in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa. The city has a population of about 610,000 and the urban area has a population of about 900,000.
This town is a must-see if you re heading for the northern Italy as it has so much to offer with its pastel-coloured terracotta-roofed houses, artistic churches, lovely seaside villas, and also several luxurious boutiques.
Although it has always been shadowed by cities such as Rome and Venice, Genoa has started becoming more included in the tourism market gradually, owing to its rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture and history, multitude of hidden gems behind cozy alleways, excellent cuisine (fish and seafood especially), renovated old port, beautiful sights (including one of Europe’s biggest aquariums) and its title of the European Capital of Culture in 2004. The legendary explorer Christopher Columbus was born here too.
Part of the old city of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006.Due to EXPO 92 and 2004 European Culture Capital events money flowed into this unique city to make it a more interesting place to see. Among sites and places worth seeing here are many medieval churches, palaces and museums.
PLACES WORTH SEEING
The early 13th-century San Lorenzo Cathedral has a black and white striped marble facade.
The Aquarium of Genoa, built for the EXPO 92, is the second largest in Europe.
The National Gallery in the Palazzo Spinola has original furnishings from the 16th-18th centuries, frescoed ceiliings, and an excellent collection of art.
The Civic Museum, housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Bianco, also has a great collection of paintings by Genoese and other European artists.
The carruggi, narrow alleys, are interesting to wander around (take a map, you can get lost easily).
Via Garibaldi and Via Balbi are good walking streets with lavishly decorated mansions and old palaces.
The Renaissance and Baroque Rolli Palaces, in Genoa’s center, were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2006. About 80 Rolli palaces were built in the 16th century, when Genoa was one of Italy’s four great maritime republics. Many of them were restored in 2004.
There’s a walking path along the scenic spruced-up port area.
From Piazza Castello there are fabulous views of the port and city (take the public elevator)
FESTIVALS
There is a jazz festival in July. The statue “Christ of the Depths”,underwater at the bay’s entrance, is celebrated at the end of July with a Mass, the illumination of the reefs and a line of underwater torches to show the way to the statue.
The historic regatta, one of Italy’s most exciting, is held the first weekend in June every fourth year. Boatmen from the ancient maritime republics of Amalfi, Genova, Pisa, and Venezia compete (the festival rotates amongst these cities).