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 Squirrels in the park |
Via Capolungo 1, 3, 9 Via Anita Garibaldi Genoa 16167 Italy |
Today a public park, this is an amalgamation of the splendid gardens of the Groppallo, Serra and Grimaldi villas, which, together with the Villa Brignole Sale (Duchessa di Galliera), make up the largest green space in the city. This luxuriant area, which occupies almost nine hectares, retains the orignal, romatically inspired layout of the gardens, with English lawns, palm trees, ponds and fountains, and a beautiful rose garden which in May and June is visited by plant lovers from near and far. While Villa Groppallo houses the city library, Villa serra is the site of the Galleria d'Arte Moderna Villa Serra Groppallo, and in what was the Villa Grimaldi (now Fassio) is the Raccolte Frugone a Villa Fassio. In the summer, the park, has recently been discovered as a perfect film location, hosts the famous International Ballet Festival and the Rose Garden Cinema: a summer arena for contemporary and classic films. But the Parco di Nervi is perhaps most memorable for the numerous, almost tame squirrels that live there, delighting generations of children. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: wcities |
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A park with a terrifying secret |
Viale IV Novembre Genoa 16121 Italy |
This public park, with views ranging over the Bisagno valley, covers the area where the sixteenth century fortifications, linked with Saint Catherine, once stood. It lies over the pits where the victims of the plague which raged through the city in 1656-7 are buried. The remains of ten or perhaps fifteen thousand victims are still visible today during underground explorations. A group of investigators ventured within the walls in 1989 and found themselves, in what might have been a scene from a horror film, face to face with a mountain of perfectly conserved skeletons. The park was established in 1821 by C. Barabino, as an area for strolling and sporting competitions. The park is adorned with tree-lined walkways and a central lake where swans and ducks are to be found. As well as a children's play park, there are areas for skating and cycling, football pitches, table tennis tables, bowling greens and even an athletics track. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A waterfall in the heart of Genova |
Piazzale Mazzini Genoa 16122 Italy +39 10 54 2285 |
The rich vegetation of this green space in the heart of the city once framed the neoclassical villa built there by the Marquis Di Negro, designed by C. Barabino. This villa was renowned for the international artistic coterie of painters and writers by which it was frequented (including D'Azeglio, Manzoni, Stendhal and Dickens), as well as serving as a meeting place for patriots and politicans of the time, in particular Mazzini. The villa, destroyed by bombing in the last war, was replaced in 1971 by a modern building, designed by the architect M. Labò, and it houses the Museo di Arte Orientale E. Chiossone. The park covers about two hectares, and was the site of the city's first botanical garden in 1780, and then of the first zoological garden. The path leading to the top of the hill weaves between imposing specimens of exotic plants, including palm trees, Lebanese cedars, camphors and sequoias, crossing playful fountains, lakes with swans and ducks, aviaries of birds, evocative artificial grottoes and the breathtaking waterfall, a fairytale feature in an urban context, as favoured by the taste of the age. The highest areas of the park, with its well established pine trees and an attractive fishpond yields a memorable view over nineteenth century Genova. Access to the gardens is through Piazza Mazzini (above Piazza Corvetto) from Via Martin Piaggio and the Dinegro hill. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Daniele Gallesio |
 Photo: Daniele Gallesio |
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A neogothic villa in the Val Polcevera |
Via Cassissa Genoa, Genoa 16010 Italy +39 10 71 5577 |
One of the rare Italian examples of an English house and garden, this perfectly conserved estate lies in the Val Polcevera, on the left banks of the Torrente Secca, in the little Rio Comago valley. It was built in 1850 by C. Cusani, the Lombard landscape architect, as a country residence for the Genovese nobleman Orso Serra. The neogothic Tudor house has a three peaked façade, high chimney stacks and bow-windows. The romantic English park features woods, lakes with water games, the essential viewpoints and gives an overall impression of a period garden, down to the rare botanic plants. Among the species of tree there are sequoias, cypresses, beech trees, Lebanese cedars and horse chesnuts. The estate remained the property of the Serra family until 1938, when it was handed over to the local council, who converted it into a public park, which is now revealed in all its original splendour after a period of recent restoration. There is a bar and an information office within the park. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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Seekers of immortality |
Piazzale Resasco Genoa 16137 Italy |
This is one of the most interesting cemeteries in Italy and is visited by many foreign tourists. It owes its fame to its amphitheatre on the slopes of the hill and the continuous succession of monumental buildings and little woods. It was created by G.B.Resasco in successive phases since the middle of the nineteenth century. It is dominated by the Chapel of the Intercession (or Pantheon). Here are all the headstones of the famous people of the city. There are sculptures and architecture throughout the galleries, tree-lined avenues and in the English and Jewish cemeteries. They are not only a sample of art from the second half of the nineteenth century; they also show the self-congratulatory nature of the upper-classes of this period. They spared no expense in order that they should be remembered by a chapel or a monument next to the city's heroes. Caterina Campodonico is a well-known example. She was a simple salesgirl who stood at streetcorners selling nuts and canestrelli. She saved money all her life so that she might have a funeral monument which was similar in stature to that of Mazzini. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Forrest McGregor |
 Photo: Francesca Grillo  |
 Photo: Forrest McGregor |
 Photo: jeff robinson |
 Photo: willard_austria |
 Photo: willard_austria |
 Photo: Alice |
 Photo: Simone Lehmann |
 Photo: giasco |
 Photo: Irene Biasioli |
 Photo: fabio bedino |
 Photo: anselmo orsi |
 Photo: nora ronchi |
 Photo: Maurizio Massa Genoa |
 Photo: Gencer Soytemiz |
 Photo: ross6606 |
 Photo: Sferagrafica |
 Photo: Christian Russo |
 Photo: Marzia Mei |
 Photo: Riccardo Baccega |
 Photo: Riccardo Ruberti |
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Deer and Tibetan goats in the park |
Vico Da Corte, 2 Genoa 16158 Italy |
Built between the 16th and 17th centuries in the Voltri region, at the very edge of the present day "Grande Genova", the villa underwent reconstruction work in the nineteenth century, at the wishes of the owner Maria Brignole Sale, the Duchess of Galliera. A cultured and refined woman, a benefactress of the city, who was to furnish the Palazzo Bianchi and Palazzo Rosso with the respective art collections, as well as donating large amounts of money to charitable trusts, the duchess left this villa, and the enormous park surrounding it to the city council. The estate is actually known not so much because of the villa, but on account of the 25 hectares of land around it, including an Italian garden, the sanctuary of N. S. delle Grazie, and several other eclectic buildings like the "Latteria" (dairy), the castle and the "Café". Walking round the park, you cross large green areas, with woods, grottoes and meadows where a herd of friendly deer live in captivity; fun for the children and another excuse to leave the hustle and bustle of the city to immerse yourself in this natural oasis of calm. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Fabio Baiardini |
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Parrots in the garden |
Corso Solferino, 25-29 Genoa 16122 Italy |
Built as a country residence by the Dei Mari family in the late sixteenth century, this building, standing on the top of a large public park in the hilly area of Castelletto, was modified by the Grübers in the nineteenth century. Now a museum of Americana, which collects archeological material from the pre-colombian civilizations, especially the Maya people, it incorporates the local police station in its most modern wing as well as a sixteenth century watch tower behind. The nearby family Abbey of S. Maria della Sanità was also a part of the estate. Today it is separated from the villa and open to the public. Review © 2007, Wcities |
 Photo: Andrea Puggioni |
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A suburban villa fit for a king |
Via S.Fruttuoso, 70 Genoa 16143 Italy |
Built between the end of the fifteenth century and the beginning of the sixteenth century for Lorenzo Cattaneo, restructured around 1560, this was the model for all Genoese villas before the alessian style became popular. It is characterised by its long form and double galleries at the corners. After having housed one of the most important Genoese library collection for many years, the villa is curently closed for restoration work, after the collapse of part of the attractive frescoes upper floor, a sixteenth century work by L. Cambiaso, depicting the 'Rape of the Sabine women'. The surrounding park is very interesting. Today, it is a public garden, whose sixteenth century design is still clealy visible in the symmetrical starways to the front of the villa, while the garden behind the villa is a result of nineteenth century landscaping. The park is popular with local residents, and is an important green space in what is now a densely populated area. Review © 2007, Wcities |
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A neoclassical villa by the sea |
Piazza Di Negro, 3 Genoa 16126 Italy |
Currently functioning as a school, this is an interesting example of a sixteenth century villa, which owes its current appearance to the restructuring work by A. Tagliafichi in 1787. Characterised by an elegant ashlar-work façade, with gables and statues, it retains many atmospheric frescoes in its interior, whilst the flourishing public park spreading over the hillside behind is also deserving of mention; it features terraces, several attractive lily ponds, and an English garden with a neoclassical temple. Unfortunately the construction of the railway line nearby and improved public access to the sea front have meant the loss of a large part of the terraced garden which once spread right down to the shore. The villa is recalled by Oscar Wilde in a sonnet he composed whilst staying in Genoa. Review © 2007, Wcities |