The main attractions of Genoa

Italy is well known to a wide range of tourists. Every year this country is visited by millions of tourists and travelers. In this article we will talk about one of the cities of Italy – Genoa and its attractions. Since ancient times, the city of Genoa was famous for its wealth. Its rich and noble residents invested in the construction of magnificent palaces, churches, monuments and various structures. In this article we will try to tell you about the five most important sights of Genoa, which most attract the attention of tourists.
1. Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace). Its construction dates back to the 13th century, when Genoa was a republic and was known for its wealth. After construction, Simon Boccanegra settled in the castle – he was the first doge of Genoa. In its original form, the building has not reached our days, as it has constantly been subjected to reconstructions. Such famous architects as Giovanni Carlone and Andrea Ceresola took part in the reconstruction of the palace.
Now the palace functions as a museum. In it, visitors can explore the halls of the Great and Small Soviets, skillfully painted by the masters of the past, the prison in which Niccolo Paganini was kept for some time. Particularly noteworthy is the chapel, which is located next to the palace. It is famous for its frescoes by artists Domenico Fiasella and Giovanni Battista Carlone, who glorify the Virgin Mary, the townspeople and the city itself.
2. Cathedral of San Lorenzo. This cathedral was built in 1098 with the money that the Genoese produced in the Crusades. Now in the building of the cathedral there are a number of museums. So in the Museum of Treasures various jewelry made of gold and silver, collections of ancient coins are exhibited. But its most important attraction is considered to be the Sacred Bowl, which Guelmo Embriaco brought to Genoa. Many believe that this cup is the Holy Grail.
3. Area Ferrari. This square is the most beautiful among all the squares of Genoa. Previously, it was called San Domenico, but the citizens, given the merits of Rafael Ferrari in front of the city, decided to rename the square in his honor. It was a man who constantly donated significant sums of money to the city, and also donated two of his palaces with paintings to the city. Grateful Genoese appreciated his contribution and gave the square his name. Near the square you can see many monuments of architecture. These are the Doge’s Palace, the Ligurian Academy, the Carlo Felice Theater, the Ducal Palace. From Ferrari Square on Dante Street you can go to the Columbus House.
4. The Galata Maritime Museum. This museum is interesting because in this museum each hall with expositions tells about a certain stage in the history of navigation. Thanks to the use of modern visual, multimedia and sound effects, many of the valuable exhibits look more impressive. The museum is located on an area of ​​10 thousand square meters. In the expositions you can see treasures raised from the seabed, ancient nautical charts, ancient atlases and ancient weapons. Maritime museums can still be seen on the ship Nautilus, which imitates the ancient ship of the Genoese, and on the submarine Nazano Sauro.
5. Aquarium of Genoa. This building is not a monument of ancient times, but it deserves attention due to the fact that at one time he practically saved the city. In the 80s of the twentieth century, the city was in distress, as almost all industry was withdrawn from the city to other regions of the country, and, accordingly, unemployment began in the city. In those days, tourist flows avoided Genoa, despite its cultural and historical heritage, mainly due to industry and crime. The city authorities were faced with the task of how to fill the city budget so that the city could function normally.
Claudio Burlando, the current president of Liguria, got the idea to build an aquarium in Genoa, similar to the aquarium he saw in the “Museum of the Sea” in America. For quite a long time, this idea was rejected by representatives of the local authorities, since they considered it absurd. But the matter began to move because the 500th anniversary of honoring the world famous traveler and Genoa Christopher Columbus was approaching. To celebrate this holiday, it was decided to build an aquarium. And as it happens in life, with its construction in Genoa a new life began – numerous tourists began to visit the city.
The aquarium is still interesting because in addition to the countless marine inhabitants, there are still outdoor pools, where each of the tourists can touch their inhabitants. In addition, special programs for children were developed. After such an unexpected success, the city authorities decided to reconstruct the Old City, which led to the fact that Genoa began to attract the attention of tourists, and the necessary funds came to the city’s treasury.
In addition to these attractions, in the city you can see a lot. So visiting the aquarium, you will definitely get acquainted with the Old Port, which was also specially reconstructed.