Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The great thing about Genoa is that it keeps on giving. No matter how many times you have visited, there is always something new to discover.

In the Old Town, you never know what you will find when you turn the next corner in its dark and narrow maze: there is the multicultural mix of the harbour quarters, there are hidden gardens nestling on the hillsides and Renaissance palazzi downtown.

Genoa has fewer than 600,000 inhabitants, but feels much bigger. Several times that big, as a matter of fact, more like New York than like Turin or Florence, because it has almost too many faces to count.

Related reading: We Took Some Dancing Lessons from God

Genoa gives you fantastic  architecture

One of the most amazing things to discover are the works of the architect Gino Coppedè that are scattered all over town, much like Gaudí’s are in Barcelona.

Those two have several things in common, apart from that jaunty accent on the last letter of their name: they had roughly contemporary careers, worked largely for the same socio-economic class of clients (rich merchants rather than aristocrats or public/church institutions) and combined a certain affiliation with the style of the time with a grim determination to plough their own furrow.

There are, however, also differences – not least that one is famous all over the world, whereas the other is not.

"McKenzie Castle - Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè"

Coppedè’s most well-known work is the Mackenzie Castle that we encountered on the Righi walk roughly one year ago. Since then, we have made it a point to look for his buildings on any of our trips to Genoa wherever feasible.

The Staglieno cemetery is a particularly rich hunting ground: here, he designed the multi-level English cemetery and the Davidson tomb at the top of the long stairway …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè in Staglieno cemetery"

… alongside a handful of monuments where he showed uncharacteristic self-control …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè in a monument in Staglieno cemetery"

… and even attempts at a “vernacular“ style, although that vernacular was not the one of his home town or indeed any of the Italian regions.

"House by Coppedè Genoa gives you architecture"

Genoa gives you Coppedè’s works. They may be scattered all over town, but there are two areas (apart from the Staglieno cemetery) where you can find a sufficiently large concentration to connect them for brief walks.

These two walks will also familiarise you with two different areas of the city: one a busy shopping street and the other a leafy residential district, Genoa’s “Fifth Avenue” and “Upper West Side” respectively.

Via XX Settembre is the main traffic artery of Genoa’s “Stile Liberty” (Art Nouveau) quarter, not generally the home of genteel and polite architectural understatement, but even in this environment, you can immediately spot the Coppedè.

Start your walk behind the Monumental Arch, about halfway down XX Settembre from the busy Piazza de Ferrari, and immediately on your left you will find the Palazzo Zuccarino Cerruti …

"Palazzo Zuccarino Cerruti - Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè"

… one of his more conventional and restrained works.

You don‘t think that’s restrained?

To put things into perspective, walk a little further in the direction of Brignole station and turn right into Via Maragliano on your right to a house about half-way down which is labelled both as no. 5 and no. 2 (confusingly, most buildings in Genoa seem to have two numbers).

But the Coppedè is not difficult to spot: in an area where all buildings appear to follow the maxim that “more is not nearly enough”, it is easily the most outrageous.

"Genoa gives you outrageous architecture by Coppedè"

First, take it all in at once, then study the details: the monkeys, the knights in shining armour, the lions, the gargoyles …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè with gargoyles"

… before walking back to cross Via XX Settembre into Via Bartolomeo Bosco, where – at no. 57 – you can find the massive entrance to the Palazzo Pastorino …

… which is topped by a playful balcony and surprisingly delicate ironwork sculptures.

"Ironworks on balcony of Palazzo Pastorino - Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè"

When you have recovered from the experience, you are ready to meet a different Coppedè in a different part of town.

Take the Righi funicular railway (you can walk there or take bus no. 20) and get out at San Simone station, turning left and walking downhill until you reach Via Piaggio where you will find several Coppedès lined up:

Villino Cogliolo at no. 43 …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè with a normal house"

… Villa Canepa at no. 41 straight across …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè - ordinary house"

… and Villa Dellepiane at no. 33.

It is only towards the end of the street that his buildings become more grandiose:

Villa Cerrutti …

"Genoa gives you architecture by Coppedè - Villa Cerruti"

… with its private grotto and Moorish doorway tiles (although you cannot enter, you may peek through the gates) …

… leading to Castello Bruzzo. You will have seen that one from a distance, as soon as you turned the last curve of the winding Via Piaggio, and yes, of course, that is also one of his.

"Tower of Castello Bruzzo"

Walk down Rampa Silvio Fellner to Corso Firenze, from where it is only a short walk to the town centre.

This is Genoa at its New York-iest again: the residential buildings are high, reaching up to seven or eight floors, but feel even higher from the ground up because of the way they are piled up on top of each other on the hillside. The effect is breathtaking, as is the steep stairway that connects the different levels.

Next week, in our search of one more Coppedè, we find another treat that Genoa gives, with a walk through a picturesque little fishing village thrown in – plus a tip where you can buy the best fried seafood anywhere in Northern Italy. Can we interest you?

"Boccadasse in Genoa"

Why not find out for yourself how Genoa gives and keeps on giving!

Similar Posts