20.8.15

Genoa


A last post about our Italian holidays… after all this blog should rather be about Paris.

Yes, we also went to Genoa.

One reason was to allow the grand-kids (and ourselves) to visit one of Europe’s largest aquariums, situated in the old port. It was created in 1992, as part of the celebration of the 500 years since the Genoa-born Christopher Columbus (re)discovered the new world. The architect was Renzo Piano - also known for the Pompidou Centre and the future Palace of Justice in Paris.




We also took the time to walk around the older part of the town, including along the Via Garibaldi and the number of old palaces…

… the Piazza de Ferrari with the Opera and, nearby, the Palace of the Doges… and also some more narrow streets. Many buildings are nicely decorated.  




Close to the port you find the 13th century Palazzo San Giorgio (see top picture), built to be the civil-political centre of the city, abandoned, for a while a prison with Marco Polo as its most famous resident – where he dictated his memoirs – and then becoming the home of the Bank of Saint George, founded in 1407, the world’s oldest chartered bank (with the Grimadi family as part owners).  

The 12th century Genoa Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo) – with a façade from the 14th century – is richly decorated.


In the cathedral there is a fresco from 1626, illustrating the Last Supper. I may be wrong, but this reminded me of a contemporary painting I once saw in Lima, see post here, where Maria Magdalena is represented. This may be one of the apostles, but…


8 comments:

Shammickite said...

Your grandchildren are very lucky indeed!

Cezar and Léia said...

Ma com'e bella! 😊
Lovely Genova by your lens! Next time I need to visit the Aquarium, so cool!
Cari saluti
Leia

Anonymous said...


What a fantastic post, M. Peter!

So, by looking at the photos of the aquarium, maybe I can guess your grandkids found Nemo? In Italy, of all places!
Your photos...as usual...a total dream.......
Thank you,
Maria

Maya said...

We drove through there on our way home (scary traffic!), but did not stop. Now I'm thinking maybe we should have stayed there! Beautiful photos!

Thérèse said...

Magnifique!

Leslie in Oregon said...

I very much relish your written and photographic posts about any place in the world...please don't feel that you should "limit" them just to Paris!

claude said...

Encore une belle ville italienne. Les enfants aimant bien en général les aquariums. Il y en a un ici près de Tours, on y a déjà emmené les petits enfants.

Studio at the Farm said...

What a great holiday for all of you! Your photos are, as usual, wonderful with those tidbits of information.
Kathryn