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Liguria
The
territory of the region is a long, narrow coastline on the border with France, around the Genoa Gulf, and, thanks to its position, enjoys a wonderfully mild climate and a picturesque landscape, with a mountainous hinterland, constellated of medieval boroughs among a rich Mediterranean vegetation.
It is the mildest region in northern Italy; its two rivieras have an exceptional climate
all year round. Genoa (Genova) isthe capital of the
Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria.
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A
view of Cervo from the hills - Imperia |
The coast is divided into two very different sectors: the eastern side, called Riviera di Levante, is full of cliffs over the sea, with very beautiful landscapes like
Portofino and the Cinque Terre, while the western part, the
Riviera di Ponente, is all bays and beaches.
Liguria is covered with forests of chestnut trees, oaks, beech
trees, and a wealth of flowers, for which the region is the main center in Italy. There is some agricultural activity, mostly olive trees and vineyards, though the main resource of the region is undoubtedly tourism and trade through the ports, especially Genoa.
Genoa, La Spezia, Savona are leading shipyards.
Then there is the steel industry at Cornigliano, and the food industry at
lmperia. Handicrafts include ivory and filigree work, lace, damasks and velvet.
"Pesto" is the Ligurian sauce par excellence. Famous wines from the
Cinque Terre need no introduction.
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Imperial |
History - Liguria is a very old name, dating back to
pre-Roman times. Ancient Ligures settled the Mediterranean coast from
Rhône to Arno, but later Gallic migration mixed and produced the
Gallo-Ligurian culture. The region was officially subdued and colonised by the Roman Republic during the
2nd century BC. During the Middle Ages, Genoa gradually gained control of most of Liguria, which shared most of the city's history, and, with a few breaks in the 15th and early 16th century when the area was under either Milanese or French control, the
Republic of Genoa ruled the area until 1796, when the French Revolutionary general
Napoleon Bonaparte reorganized the area into the Ligurian Republic.
The Ligurian Republic proved short-lived, however, and was annexed by France in 1805.
Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the area was annexed by the
Kingdom of Sardinia.
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Genova
-Genoa
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The fountain
in Piazza de Ferrari |
The
main features of central Genoa to be seen are: Piazza de
Ferrari, around
which are sited the Opera and the...
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Palace
of the Doges
- The building was first erected as Palace of the People's
Captains and then it became, with the Dogate, the
Palazzo Ducale, residence of the first Doge Simon
Boccanegra, in 1339. Since then, it
was the symbol of power and residence of the Doges. After fires
and destructions, many parts of the building were modified,
changing its shape and proportions to the ones we can admire
today. Reopened in 1992, for the Columbus celebrations, at
present it is used for many different functions, centre of
exhibitions, social and cultural initiatives. The places
that once were seat of the Magistracy of the Republic,
are now seat of trade activities and offices open to the public
like bars, restaurants, art galleries, libraries,
information points, ticket office for the
exhibitions, and craftsmen's stores linked
to the tradition and the culture of the region.
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Palazzo
Ducale - Palace of the Doges |
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Cortile
Maggiore - inside court-yard |
• Christopher Columbus
- the exact origin, beside his place and date of birth, has been the source of some speculation since the
19th century although historical consensus claims he
was Genoese. There are several competing theories regarding his
national origin. There is also a house where Christopher
Columbus
is said to have been born.
His house, "Or what
is left of it" says the sign, but is not.
It's nothing more than a few stones piled together to form a
structure barely big enough to breath in. It is the
remains of a house from that period. The fake "additions"
placed around is to offer you the supposed feeling of accuracy,
but rather it just adds to your realization that once you handed
your money in at the entrance and walked through the tiny
doorway that you had been ripped off.
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Colonnade -
St. Andrew's Cloister |
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A depiction
of Columbus claiming pocession
of the New
World - chromolithograph 1893 |
No reason at all to believe that the great navigator who
discovered the Americas lived here, he may have, of course.
It's very close to the Palazzo Ducale and on the
edge of the old quarter, so no harm to allow yourself to have a
glance at it!
Just at the left of the house there is St. Andrew's
Cloister, which is the only surviving part of the
omonymous monastery. The cloister was not
originally located in the present site, but was moved there
later, when the monastery was demolished to open the modern
square.
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Porta
Soprana |
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Palazzo
San Giorgio - 1260 |
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Garibaldi's
(supposed) house |
Strada
Nuova
(now Via Garibaldi), in the old city, was inscribed on the World
Heritage List
in 2006. This district was designed in the mid-16th century to
accommodate Mannerist palaces of the city's most eminent
families, including Palazzo
Rosso
(now a museum), Palazzo
Bianco,
Palazzo Grimaldi and Palazzo
Reale.
The famous art college, Musei di Strada Nuova and the
Palazzo
del Principe are also located on this street.
Other
landmarks of the city:
• Cattedrale di San
Lorenzo (San Lorenzo Cathedral) is located within the
heart of old Genoa. This medieval cathedral was consecrated in
1118 and named after St. Lawrence, who passed
through the city on his way to Rome. For hundreds of
years, the building was used for both state and religious
purposes.
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San Lorenzo
suggestive narrow facade between the two towers presents
the local typical Genoan style-gothic
portals while the marbled statues of the two lions date
back to the 19th century; they seem to watch
over the Cathedral. It is beautifully
constructed with a striking contrast of black slate and
white marble. The black-and-white pattern adorns the
facade in the Pisan style and spread over
the upper rows of the facade; these rows belong to
different periods.
The
internal of the cathedral, features three aisles
divided by columns surmounted by false gothic matroneoes
and by Romanesque arches. The central aisle is entirely
covered by marble with beautiful barrel vaults along
the aisles, the dome, bell tower. The apses
area were all elegantly designed and date back to the 16th
century. |
At the left aisle
you can enter the St Lawrence's Treasure Museum
where you can admire sacred privileged objects such as the
Sacro Catino that, according to the
Catholics, is the dish used by Jesus in the Last Supper.
The Chapel of
St. John the Baptist, with interesting Renaissance
sculpture is said to contain remains of the saint for whom it
was named.
Admission is
free. Tues - Sat 9-11:30am and 3-5:30pm
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Cemetery
of Staglieno,
famous and renowned for its monuments and statues.
Staglieno owes its popularity and historic value not only to the
fame of the great personalities who rest there but, above all,
to its many sculptural and architectural
monuments which share the same area creating a
variegated harmony. Althought still unfinished, the
cemetery was officially inaugurated on January 1, 1851.
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Tomb of
Ester Pioggi - Staglieno cemetery |
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The Pantheon |
Giovanni
Battista Resasco was entrusted to continue the original
project of his master, the architect Carlo Barabino
(1768-1835). The architecture of the cemetery reveals the same
Neoclassic style of many representative
Genoese buildings of that period, such as the
Carlo Felice Theatre and the Palazzo
dell'Accademia. The plant of the original nucleus
is quadrangular; in the run of the years the cemetery spread up
to include the surrounding vegetation, creating a very
picturesque fusion with the natural environment.
The artistic
languages of over a century, from Neoclassicism to
Realism, up to Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Art
Deco and on, are here displayed and they find their
interpreters in a school of sculptors whose works are known far
beyond the regional and national borders.
Nietzsche, Guy de Maupassant, Mark Twain and
Elisabeth of Austria (the famous Empress Sissi) are some
of the many great historic and literary scholars,
travellers, artists and philosophers who were deeply fascinated
by Staglieno and left written testimonies of their impressions.
• Museo
d'Arte Orientale
has one of the largest collections of Oriental art in Europe.
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Palazzo
San Giorgio - 1260 |
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Porto
Antico - Old Port - The layout of the whole area and the various architectural
constructions in the "Old Port" has been a link between the
historical center and the sea since Genoa was born.
It used to be a Port of Call until beginning '80
then it was restored by Architect Renzo Piano for the international Expo of
1992 in commemoration of the 5th centenary of
the discovery of America, have now become a perfect example of
the coexistence of old buildings and modern edifices.
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. People are used to calling this
port "expo" because of the "Expo 1992" (World Exposition 1992),
on that occasion this beautiful area was given back to Genoese.
• Aquarium
of Genoa which is billed to be one of the largest in
Europe is also part of the layout. It is an educational, scientific and
cultural centre and is co-ordinating the AquaRing
project. The aquarium 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.
It has the
requisite sharks, penguins and dolphins
that draw visitors to most major aquariums. But it also has a
really neat exhibit of skates and rays,
where you can touch their soft bodies. Another section
highlights the contributions of world-traveling naturalists,
including Charles Darwin. A tank of coral from the
Red Sea is packed with colorful and outlandish- looking fish.
This stop is certain to entertain children and adults.
• Bigo
- the distinctive Bigo revolving panoramic lift
offers an unusual full-circle view of Genoa, rising to a
height of 40 metres from the ground, and with a
capacity of 66.
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View from
the bigo - with Piazza delle Feste
and the
Aquarium below |
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The Glass
Bubble - Biofera / Bolla |
• Biosfera/Bubble
(Bolla) - close to the Acquarium, is a glass and steel
globe structure which measures 20 m. in diameter and weighs 60
tons. Designed by Renzo Piano, it was built and placed in
the Porto Antico area on occasion of the G8 Summit
held in Genoa in 2001. It is and hosts
different types of ferns. Thanks to a
sophisticated "system of sails" this tropical environment is
protected from the direct irradiation of the sun. The
historical botanical collections owned by Genoa City
Council supplied some rare specimens of tropical plants.
This is a magical
place where you can learn a lot of things due to the generous
aid of the biologists who will be guiding you during the visit.
Since October 2003, the "Bubble", as it is commonly called, has
hosted a complex ensemble of tropical animals such
as iguanas, butterflies, birds from Brasil,
cacatua, tangare etc., in addition to the vegetal
organisms.
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La
Lanterna
- the Port of Genoa contains the most important,
Ancient
lighthouse called La
Lanterna
(i.e., "the lantern"). It is ....
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- the oldest working
lighthouse in the world, Genoa's landmark and symbol.
- one of the five tallest ones,
built on a rock of 40 metres in height, the top of the
Lanterna stands therefore at 117 m. above
the sea level.
- the tallest brick one,
is a 77 m. high tower, made of two blocks,
square in section, roughly of the same height, and both
with a projecting terrace.
- its
light is visible from more than 50 kilometres away.
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The Lanterna has welcomed vessels and boats and guided them into
the harbour for centuries. The Lanterna, as we see it today, was
built in 1543; unofficial sources,
however, date back to 1128 the building on this
site of the first tower intended to assist navigators.
Today visitors can climb 172 steps, reach the
first terrace (76 m. above the sea level), and
enjoy the breathtaking view of the port and the
old city.
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La Lanterna
under the morning dawn |
The whole area was
restored by the Provincia di Genova between 1995 and 2004 and
its other attractions, apart from the Lanterna, are the
Promenade and the Museum.
• The Promenade is a pedestrian route of about 800
metres. It begins at the Terminal Traghetti (the
Ferry-Boat Terminal) and leads the visitor to the
Fortifications, the Lanterna and the
Museum. Overlooking the quays, the Promenade
enjoys an interesting view of the port and its activities.
• The Museum, housed in the scenic setting
of the Savoy fortifications (1830), is not only
the obvious place where to exhibit lamps, lenses and other
lighthouse-related objects. Its broader aim is to
display and promote the preservation of material culture of
Genoa and its territory. The Museum displays on 39
TV sets filmed sequences on Genoa and its port, and
footage of interviews with people from every walk of
life who can claim a contribution to the making of the present
day Genoa. The aim is to provide insight into the history,
art, traditions, and peoples of the city.
• Galata
Maritime Museum (Galata Museo del Mare) a square glass
structure at the harbour’s edge and is the largest attraction in
Italy dealing with the age-old relationship between man
and the sea. It is situated in the Old Port
in the former naval arsenal of the Republic of Genoa,
the oldest of the buildings of the municipal docks, 16th
century galley-style building restored by
the Spanish architect Guillermo Vasquez
Consuegra, who covered the building with steel, glass and wood.
With more than 10,000 square metres of
exhibition space is now the largest maritime museum
in the Mediterranean. It is
arranged chronologically, the tour gets
underway on the ground floor from the age of oared vessels then
continues on the first and second floors on the route of the
sailing ships and revolutionary geographical explorations,
before ending on the third floor that houses the rotating
exhibitions.
Other
highlights of the Galata are the full-sized model of a
brigantine and a great exhibit where an IMAX-style
movie helps you imagine you are in a rowboat during an
Atlantic storm. A small Columbus exhibition
offers a portrait of the man and a couple of illegible old
documents providing incontestable proof of his Genovese origins.
Finally, the flat rooftop terrace which has glass walls provides an
exceptional panorama of the city and the port below.
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Galata
Maritime Museum |
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Sarzana
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The city
is located in the Liguria region, in the low Magra valley.
It is situated in the heart of Lunigiana, religious heiress of the ancient Roman city of
Luni from the XIII century.
Sarzana has ancient origins, first mentioned in the X century.
It was dominated by different Lords and cities:
Castruccio Castracani, Genoa, Spinetta, Malaspina, the Visconti,
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Sarzana |
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Sarzana Napoleonic Reenactment |
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The city preserves two castles, the
Firmafede fortress, built by the Pisans and the Sarzanello
fortress, ancient bishops residence. Today the XVI century walled suburb is almost intact with the ancient walls and four towers.
The main streets are Via Bertoloni and Via Mazzini, among Porta Parma and Porta Romana, along the Via Francigena.
Here we find an impressive number of buildings and churches: the
Remedi Palace, the Podestà Lucciardi Palace, the
Townhall, the church of Sant'Andrea, the most ancient sacred building of Sarzana, the
palace Picedi Benettini, the Episcopal palace, the Cathedral of santa Maria Assunta, the Impavidi Theatre and the many works in wrought iron, characteristic of the city.
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Duomo
- The façade, covered with white marble,
is opened by a gothic
portal - detail. |
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The inner part is divided in three parts by large arches. |
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• Cathedral of
Santa Maria Assunta was built on the area of the ancient church of
San Basilio and completed in 1474 with the construction of the upper front by
L. Riccomanni. The statues of S. Eurichiano on the left side,
Sergio VI on the right side and Niccolò V
in the middle were added in 1735.
left: Duomo
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Santa Maria Assunta |
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The outside front, which is completely consisting of white marble, has a
gothic entrance door with its typical gothic rose above it and two side parts from the XVII
Century. The tower, is the only original part of the
antique church of S. Basilio. |
In the outskirtses, it is possible to visit the village of
Falcinello, sunbathe in Marinella di Sarzana beaches or visiting the Roman ruins of Luni, in the nearby
Ortonovo.
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