Genova — Strade Nuove e Palazzi dei Rolli
Genova (UNESCO 2006, rif. 1211) custodisce nelle sue Strade Nuove il primo piano urbanistico europeo di edilizia privata di lusso concepito come sistema: i Palazzi dei Rolli — le residenze nobiliari genoesi iscritte in liste rotanti (i “rolli”) per ospitare a rotazione le delegazioni di Stato ospiti della Serenissima Repubblica di Genova tra il 1576 e il 1664 CE.
At a glance
Genova Liguria (the most precisely Genova zone Genova Liguria Italy 44.4065 N 8.9339 E UNESCO WHS 2006 reference 1211 Genoa’s Strade Nuove and the System of the Palazzi dei Rolli: the site (the UNESCO site consists of: (1) the Strade Nuove (the “New Streets”: the 3 parallel streets built between 1558 and 1583 CE: Via Garibaldi (the former “Via Aurea” or “Golden Street”: 1558 CE), Via Cairoli, and Via Balbi: the first planned residential street development in a European city designed as a unified architectural ensemble); (2) the “Sistema dei Palazzi dei Rolli” (the system of the roll palaces: the 163 palaces in the historic center of Genoa enrolled in the “rolli” (the rotating lists))); the Palazzi dei Rolli (the rolling list system: the “rollo” (the roll): a list of palaces in Genova graded by quality into 3 categories; when a foreign dignitary visited Genova, the Republic drew lots from the appropriate category to determine which palace would host the visitor (the lottery: “il bussolo”: the lottery box)); the history of the system: the first official “rollo” was decreed by the Genoese Senate on September 9, 1576 CE; the last official roll was issued in 1664 CE; in the 88 years of operation, the system hosted: Philip II of Spain (1576 CE), the Infanta Maria of Spain (1589 CE), Queen Margherita of Austria (1598 CE), the Cardinal Barberini (1625 CE), and many more; the architects (Galeazzo Alessi (1512–1572 CE): the Perugian architect who moved to Genova in 1548 CE and designed the Strada Nuova (Via Garibaldi) and many of its palaces; the most important palaces on Via Garibaldi: Palazzo Bianco (1565 CE) + Palazzo Rosso (1671 CE) + Palazzo Doria-Tursi (now the Municipio)).
Key facts
- Peter Paul Rubens e i “Palazzi di Genova” (1622 CE): come una pubblicazione dell’artista fiammingo ha diffuso l’architettura genovese in tutta Europa e perché Rubens era a Genova nel 1607 CE: the Rubens visits (Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640 CE): the Flemish master visited Genova for the first time in 1604 CE (accompanying Vincenzo I Gonzaga on a diplomatic mission to Spain via Genova); the second visit was in 1607 CE (Rubens stayed in Genova for 6 months: his employer Vincenzo Gonzaga was visiting Philip III of Spain and had to pass through Genova); the drawings (during the 1607 CE visit, Rubens made detailed architectural drawings of the facades and interiors of 18 Genoese palaces: the drawings were published in Antwerp in 1622 CE as “Palazzi di Genova” (2 volumes: Volume 1 = 12 palaces; Volume 2 = 6 palaces + the churches of Genova): the aim (Rubens’s stated purpose in the “Dedicatory letter”: “These buildings are useful to study because their proportions are between the antique greatness (that is impossible to replicate given the cost of marble) and the modern smallness (that makes everything look cramped); the Genoese model is the perfect middle size for a princely house in the modern world”): the impact (the “Palazzi di Genova” 1622 CE was reprinted 7 times before 1700 CE: it was the primary source for English Baroque and Dutch Baroque architects: the Mauritshuis in The Hague (Pieter Post, 1644 CE) quotes Palazzo Bianco directly))
- GPS (Palazzo Rosso, Via Garibaldi 18): 44.4073° N, 8.9330° E
History
Da Galeazzo Alessi 1558 CE al UNESCO 2006 (the most precisely Genova zone history: the Republic of Genova (the Serenissima Repubblica di Genova: founded 1005 CE; the peak (the 1528–1797 CE period: the “Serenissima Repubblica di Genova” under Andrea Doria (1466–1560 CE): a financial oligarchy that controlled the Spanish Crown’s finances from 1528 to 1627 CE (the “Age of the Genoese”: the Genoese bankers lent money to Philip II and Philip III of Spain to finance the Spanish Armada (1588 CE) and the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648 CE)): the Palazzi dei Rolli are the physical manifestation of this financial power); the Strade Nuove project (the concept: the expansion of Genova to the northwest required the urbanization of the steep hillside (the “Salita di San Giovanni di Pré”: the hill previously occupied by monasteries and gardens); the solution: Galeazzo Alessi designed Via Aurea (1558 CE) as a 450 m-long straight street cut into the hillside: the first straight street in Genova (the medieval Caruggi = the winding medieval alleys: the antithesis of the Strada Nuova); the first palaces (the first palace built on Via Aurea: Palazzo Lercari-Spinola (1558 CE: the 3-story facade designed by Alessi: the ground floor = the “loggia” (the open arcade for commercial use); the piano nobile = the family apartments; the top floor = the servants’ quarters))); the UNESCO inscription (2006 CE: reference 1211).
What you see
Via Garibaldi (ex Via Aurea), Palazzo Rosso (raccolta Rubens + Van Dyck), Palazzo Bianco (raccolta Caravaggio), Palazzo Doria-Tursi (violino Paganini), Porto Antico Renzo Piano (the most precisely Genova zone visit (1 day): the Musei di Strada Nuova (the combined ticket for 3 museums on Via Garibaldi: €9 (Palazzo Rosso + Palazzo Bianco + Palazzo Doria-Tursi); 9:00–19:00 Tue-Fri, 10:00–19:30 Sat-Sun): (1) Palazzo Rosso (Via Garibaldi 18: the Rubens collection: the “Equestrian Portrait of Giovanni Carlo Doria” (1606 CE) and “Portrait of the Marchesa Veronica Spinola Doria” (1607 CE): the 2 Genoese portraits Rubens painted during his 1607 CE visit; the frescoed ceiling of the Salone of the piano nobile (1705 CE: Gregorio de Ferrari); (2) Palazzo Bianco (Via Garibaldi 11: the Caravaggio collection: “Ecce Homo” (1605 CE: contested attribution: some scholars attribute it to Mattia Preti (1613–1699 CE)): the Van Dyck collection: 6 portraits painted during Van Dyck’s 2-year Genoese period (1621–1622 CE)); (3) Palazzo Doria-Tursi (Via Garibaldi 9: the municipal headquarters since 1848 CE: the room with the Guarneri violin “Il Cannone” (1743 CE): the personal violin of Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840 CE) bequeathed to the City of Genova in 1840 CE: the violin is played once a year (October 27, Paganini’s birthday) by the winner of the Premio Paganini international competition)); the Porto Antico (Piazza Caricamento: the regenerated harbor by Renzo Piano (born in Genova 1937 CE): redesigned for the Genova 1992 Columbus Exposition (the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage): the Bigo (the “derrick” structure: the panoramic lift to 40 m: €4); the Acquario di Genova (€28: the 2nd largest aquarium in Europe)).
Practical information
- Come raggiungere Genova da Milano, Torino e Roma, e il percorso consigliato Via Garibaldi + Caruggi + Porto Antico in una giornata: il trasporto (Milano Centrale → Genova Piazza Principe: Trenitalia (1h30 Frecciarossa; €13; ogni 30 min)); Torino Porta Nuova → Genova Piazza Principe: Trenitalia (1h45; €15; ogni ora)); Roma Termini → Genova Piazza Principe: Trenitalia (3h30 Frecciarossa via Milano; €39)); il programma 1 giorno (dal centro): 9:00 Via Garibaldi (la passeggiata del mattino: le facciate dei palazzi illuminate dalla luce est (Via Garibaldi è orientata E-W; la luce del mattino sul lato nord; la luce del pomeriggio sul lato sud: il momento migliore per le facciate nord è 9:00–11:00)) → 9:30 Musei di Strada Nuova (3h: Palazzo Rosso + Bianco + Doria-Tursi: in sequenza, mai al contrario) → 12:30 pranzo nei Caruggi (il quartiere medievale tra Via San Lorenzo e Via Cairoli: la focaccia al formaggio di Recco (la focaccia sottilissima ripiena di formaggio fresco della Valpolcevera: lo spuntino tipico genovese; differente dalla focaccia genovese normale (senza ripieno)); il pesto genovese: le trofie al pesto (la pasta corta ruvida + pesto di basilico DOP genovese)); → 15:00 Porto Antico (Renzo Piano; il Bigo + l’Acquario opzionale) → 17:00 ascensore panoramico Spianata Castelletto (panorama sul porto)
Getting there
Trenitalia da Milano (1h30 Frecciarossa, €13). GPS Via Garibaldi: 44.4073/8.9330. Musei di Strada Nuova €9 (9:00–19:00 mar-ven, 10:00–19:30 sab-dom). Caruggi a piedi.
Nearby
- Cinque Terre (UNESCO 1997 rif. 826) — 5 villaggi di pescatori sul Mar Ligure — 90 km (Trenitalia da Genova Brignole → La Spezia 1h10; poi treno locale per le singole stazioni; €12; il sentiero dell’Azzurro (sentiero n.2): 12 km da Riomaggiore a Monterosso: 4h30 a piedi; il tratto più spettacolare: Vernazza → Corniglia (1h45))
- Portofino e Abbazia di San Fruttuoso (845 CE) — 35 km (Traghetto Genova → Portofino 1h (Golfo Paradiso ferry; €18 round-trip); o bus TIGULLIO da Rapallo; l’Abbazia di San Fruttuoso (raggiungibile solo a piedi (2h da Portofino) o in barca): la chiesa e il chiostro del 845 CE + il Cristo degli Abissi (1954 CE: la statua bronzea di Guido Galletti a -17m di profondità))
Gallery
Sources
- Wikipedia, Palazzi dei Rolli; Via Garibaldi, Genoa; Galeazzo Alessi; Peter Paul Rubens, accessed June 2026
- UNESCO, Genoa’s Strade Nuove and the System of the Palazzi dei Rolli, WHS reference 1211, inscribed 2006
- Poleggi, Ennio; Cevini, Paolo. Genova. Rome-Bari: Laterza, 1981 (Collana “Le città nella storia d’Italia”)
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