GENOA 2021 by RuudLeeuw.com

GENOA, ITALY
«23-27Oct»

Photos © Ruud Leeuw

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As far back as in 2018 I considered travelling to Genoa in Italy, high time we went.
It does not have the reputation of Venezia, but we visited La Serenissima last year (and a few times before that), so now La Superba was our destination. The flight time was only c.1hr45, so wearing the La Mascherina at the airport and in flight is less of an inconvenience.
I brought with me my Sony RX10 IV and (first trip) Leica M-P 240 cameras and also used my iPhone 11 for photography.
Hopefully you'll enjoy my report.

Departure from Schiphol

Chaos at Schiphol. Massive crowds at check in, not enough staff and Baggage Drop closed...
So in spite of having boarding cards printed at home we still had to get in a bastardly long line for KLM's check in counter. KLM’s answer to the long queues is to get early, at least 3 hrs for check in. Probably to increase your chances to catch the Covid-19 virus...
Monitoring the bookings, as KLM does, they could have taken measures with planning extra staff, but service is clearly not what KLM is about.
The sanitary masks were required at and behind security, while highest people density was at check in, where most people did not wear any... What imbeciles plan this?
Air travel here sucks.

-+|+-

Ostello Bello Genova, Via Balbi 38

Plenty of restaurants nearby in the Via Balbi, even one next door and one across the road.

I liked the aviation theme!

Ostello Bello Genova
We were accommodated on the 5th floor, on Cloud Nine..?
We had a pleasant stay here, an affordable rate and an excellent breakfast buffet.

Genoa (Italian: Genova) is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy.
Over 1.5 million people live in the wider metropolitan area stretching along the Italian Riviera.
On the Gulf of Genoa in the Ligurian Sea, Genoa has historically been one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean: it is currently the busiest in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea and twelfth-busiest in the European Union.
Genoa was the capital of one of the most powerful maritime republics for over 7 centuries, from the 11th century to 1797. Particularly from the 12th century to the 15th century, the city played a leading role in the commercial trade in Europe, becoming one of the largest naval powers of the continent and considered among the wealthiest cities in the world.
en.wikipedia.org:_Genoa

We landed at Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo Airport at 13h20, took a cab to the hotel, checked in and out we went!
Porto Antico
From the hotel to the harbour was only a 15 minutes walk
Vascello Neptune.
Replica of a 17th-century Spanish galleon, built for the 1986 film 'Pirates' (Roman Polanski, starring Walter Matthau)

Genoa, Italy
Many luxury sailing vessels, large and small, have their home here.

Genoa, Italy 2021
The elevated road, SS1 Sopraelevata Aldo Moro, aligns the harbour.

Genoa, Italy 2021
Exploring Genoa by foot is a bit of a challenge, but there are ways to help you up.

Genoa, Italy 2021
Circumventing the harbour; the sun was shining but the wind was chilly at times.

Fortress, Genoa
Genova, Piazzale Porta del Molo, Porta Siberia

This massive buildin of Porta Siberia, dating back to 1551-53, is the work of Galeazzo Alessi and once formed part of the 16th-century walls. Its name derives from 'cibaria' (foodstuffs), for it was through this gate that the city's produce passed, both on arrival from the sea and departure towards other ports in the Mediterranean.

Once used as a customs area, after the Old Port was restructured it was turned into a museum devoted to the painter and set designer Emanuele Luzzati, housing temporary exhibitions by the Genoese artist and by leading contemporary illustrators. |
Located in Porto Antico di Genova and we left a visit for another day.

The text over the gate reads:
AUCTA EX S.C. MOLE EXTRUCTAQ
PORTA PROPUGNACULO MUNITA
URBEM CINGEBANT MOENIBUS
QUACUNQUE ALLUITUR MARI
ANN. MDLIII

Genova, Piazzale Porta del Molo, Porta Siberia | Scan of an … | Flickr
Chi era Costui - Scheda di Fortificazioni portuali

Medieval remains of Genoa, alongside the docks. A cruise ship can be seen in the background.

Medieval remains of Genoa, below the elevated road.
Medieval remains of Genoa. I thought, seeing it from a distance, the remains were a wall; but I think it's the old Executioner's House, 'Casa del Boia'. The elevated road cuts sharply through history and present times.
Traffic can still be severely congested here at times.

Genoa, Italy 2021
We headed up into the town, some streets climb slowly, sometimes it's better to look for stairs.

Genoa, Italy 2021
I had intended to look less at buildings and concentrate more on my street photography,
but it is impossible to ignore the grand architecture here in Genoa.

Genoa, Italy 2021

Genoa, Italy 2021
Grimaldi della Meridiana (7 Piazza della Meridiana Palazzo).
This was on our daily route while returning from Pza de Ferrai to our hotel: Via Garibaldi, Via Cairoli and Via Balbi.

Genoa, Italy 2021
You'd think the small streets are for pedestrians only, but no..

Piazza de Ferrari & Via XX Settembre.

Genoa, Italy 2021
Statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi

Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi (b.04Jul1807 – 02Jun1882) was an Italian general, patriot, revolutionary, and republican.
He contributed to the Italian unification and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy. He is considered one of the greatest generals of modern times] and one of Italy's 'fathers of the fatherland'.
Garibaldi is also known as the 'Hero of the Two Worlds because of his military enterprises in South America and Europe.' [¬Wikipedia, more..]

Café del Teatro at the Pza de Ferrari, enjoying a refreshing Spritz Aperol. We would return here most afternoons.

UP of RAGS @Piazza de Ferrari.
(Every day our walkabouts would end up at this famous square, there was no avoiding)

I think this is the Chiesa di San Giovanni di Pré. Not far from our hotel, testing my Leica M-P with the Voigtländer
Color-Skopar 35mm/f2.5 lens in darkness. Converted to B&W using Silver Efex Pro 2.

The history of this Romanesque monastery and church complex dates back to the 12th century. It consists of two interconnected churches - the upper one, in which services are still held, and the lower one, open to visitors on selected days. A huge 13th-century belfry adheres to them.

Genoa, Italia 10-2021
I was surprised to see so many kiosks for newspapers & magazines still active in Genoa, contrary to in my own country.
One will encounter groups of MSC Cruises being led around.

ACQUARIO DI GENOVA
Genoa's Aquarium
I always enjoy visiting a sizeable aquarium and this one has an excellent reputation!

'The Genoa Aquarium is the largest in Europe with 71 water tanks that are home to over 12.000 animals of 600 species.
Visitors get a chance to meet amazing sea animals. From rare marine mammals such as manatees to the great predators of the sea — sharks, you will encounter a diverse range of marine animals.
Watch the penguins waddle and dolphins splash.
Genoa Aquarium is the only facility in Europe to keep seals, jellyfish, tropical fish, and other species in an environment that replicates their natural habitat.
The Acquario Di Genova is housed in the Old Port of Genoa.' [¬ Website]

Genoa's Aquarium

See my GOA PAGE 3 for more photos taken at Genoa's Aquarium.

Genoa, Italia 10-2021
Walking the length of the Via XX Settembre

About 'Via XX Settembre'
"In 1870, the Italian Army crossed the papal frontier on 11 September, and advanced toward Rome. The Papal garrisons had retreated from Orvieto, Viterbo, Alatri, Frosinone and other strongholds in Lazio.
When the Italian Army approached the Aurelian Walls that defended the city, the papal force was commanded by General Hermann Kanzler, and was composed of the Swiss Guards and a few 'zouaves'—volunteers from France, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, and other countries—for a total of 13.157 defenders against some 50.000 Italians.

The Italian army reached the Aurelian Walls on September 19 and placed Rome under siege.
On September 20, after a cannonade of three hours had breached the Aurelian Walls at Porta Pia (Breccia di Porta Pia), the crack Piedmontese infantry corps of Bersaglieri entered Rome...
In the event 49 Italian soldiers and 19 Papal Zouaves died.
Rome and the region of Lazio were annexed to the Kingdom of Italy after a plebiscite on October 2.
The Leonine City, excluding the Vatican, seat of the Pope (Pius IX at the time), was occupied by Italian soldiers on September 21.
The Via Pia, the road departing from Porta Pia, was rechristened Via XX Settembre (September 20). Subsequently, in numerous Italian cities the name Venti Settembre was given to the main road leading to the local cathedral." [¬Wikipedia]

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)
Genoa rises steeply from the coast. This creates some fantastic vantage points for views over the city. However,
the roads and pathways are very steep. The solution are Ascencor. They are generally lifts that rise through the hill...
Some are rail systems that travel at an angle up the tracks. This is at Ascensore Castelletto Levante - Portello.

View over Genova
Spianetto Castelletto, viewpoint.

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)
The MSC cruise ships are awaiting their passengers.

The MSC cruise ships are awaiting their passengers.

Spianetto Castelletto, viewpoint
The sprawl of Genoa

Our walk through Castelletto was rather disappointing, just ordinary apartment buildings, not the history I'd hoped for.
But I was rather pleased with these frontdoors, opening to an elevator! Mind your step!

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)
Old walls and new apartments

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)
Ponte Caffaro
The Battle of Ponte Caffaro was fought on the 25Jun1866. It was one of the opening skirmishes of the
Third Italian War of Independence, between the Italian forces of Garibaldi and the Austrian Empire.

Castelletto, Genoa (Genova)
A single ticket will cost €0,90, stamp ('validate) the ticket in the red machine and take the elevator to the top level.
This was on our way down, from Funicolare Sant'Anna (stazione Bertani/Magenta), next to
restaurant Vaccheria, destination Piazza del Portello.

M. C. Escher exhibition at Palazzo Ducale
M.C.Escher in Palazzo Ducale

The Doge's Palace (Italian: Palazzo Ducale) is a historical building in Genoa, northern Italy. Once the home of the Doges of Genoa, it is now a museum and a centre for cultural events and arts exhibitions. It is situated in the heart of the city, with two different entrances and façades, the main one on Piazza Matteotti, and the second one on Piazza De Ferrari.

M.C.Escher in Palazzo Ducale

'Palazzo Ducale here in Genoa is hosting (09Sep2021 - 20Feb22) the largest and most complete anthological exhibition dedicated to the great Dutch genius Maurits Cornelis Escher, today one of the most globally loved artists whose impossible worlds have entered the collective imagination, making him a true icon of the modern art world.

With more than 200 works and his most representative works, such as Hand with Reflecting Sphere (1935), Bond of Union (1956), Metamorphosis II (1939), Day and Night (1938) and the 'Emblemata series', the exhibition presents in 8 sections an excursus of his entire and wide-ranging artistic production.'

Palazzo Ducale @Genoa
Palazzo Ducale @Genova, Italia

"The Palace of the Doges was restored in 1992, in occasion of the celebrations of Christopher Columbus and the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas.
Following the restoration, the palace was opened to the public and used as a museum and palace of culture. Since 8 February 2008, the palace is managed by the 'Genoa Palazzo Ducale Foundation for Culture'.
In addition to some commercial activities, it periodically hosts events, conferences and important art exhibitions."
[¬Wikipedia]

Palazzo Ducale @Genoa

Palazzo Ducale @Genoa
More on the exhibition and this palace on my GOA PAGE THREE

Palazzo Ducale @Genoa

Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno

The Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno is an extensive monumental cemetery located on a hillside in the district of Staglieno of Genoa, Italy, famous for its monumental sculpture. Covering an area of more than a square kilometre,
it is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe.

Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno

'The design of the cemetery of the City of Genoa dates back to Napoleon's Edict of Saint-Cloud from 1804, when he forbade burials in churches and towns.
The original project was approved in 1835 by the City's architect Carlo Barabino (1768–1835). However, he died the same year as a result of the cholera epidemic that struck the city and the project passed to his assistant and pupil Giovanni Battista Resasco (1798–1871).
Part of the south-eastern hillside of Staglieno was acquired for the cemetery.
The site of the Villa Vaccarezza was chosen as the most suitable, being both sparsely populated and close to the centre of the city. Work began in 1844 and it was opened on 02Jan1851.
On that day there were four burials.

Over time there were several extensions and the cemetery now includes sections for an English cemetery, a Protestant one and a Jewish one.
At the time Genoa was a major centre of learning within Italy and attracted reformists and an affluent bourgeoisie. Wishing to place long-lasting memorials to remember their work and moral accomplishments, they developed a tradition of funereal sculpture, particularly realistic works, to be placed with their tombs.' [¬Wikipedia]

Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno

We continue our walkabout
Genova Brignole
Brignole bus- and trainstation

Genoa, Italy
An icon of Italy: the scooter.

It scooter was the by-product of a post-World War II Italian manufacturing, when their economy was almost in ruins and a lot of their factories destroyed in the aftermath of the war.
This story begins in 1884 when Rinaldo Piaggio founded the Piaggio, a company which did luxury ship fittings. Slowly, the company expanded into manufacturing rail carriages and luxury coaches, and by the time the World War I was about to end, they had already setup a center in the Italian city of Pontedera where the company manufactured aeronautical parts like propellers, engines, and soon enough entire aircraft!
World War II brought with itself destruction for the Italian economy and on 31Aug1943, Piaggio’s 2 manufacturing units in Tuscany were razed to the ground as a result of attacks by the Allied forces.
(Btw, Genoa was heavily bombarded by the Allied forces as well).

By this time, Rinaldo Piaggio had already passed away and the task of rebuilding the entire business went to the sons Armando and Enrico.
Engineer D’Ascanio was hired, he'd made his own glider when he was all of 15, and also Italy’s first helicopter! Piaggio’s brief to him was engineer a light-weight scooter which could be dropped using a parachute without any issues.
When Piaggio looked at D’Ascanio’s prototype and noticed the wide body and narrow rear, he immediately compared it to a Wasp. Hence, the name Vespa (Vespa = Italian for Wasp).
Finally launched in April 1946, Piaggio’s Vespa actually helped Italy navigate the economic uncertainties after World War II, much like how the scooter navigated the busy streets of Rome.
Also, coincidentally the name Vespa suited the scooter because of how people buzzed through the streets on it.

And now they come in all brands, shapes and sizes.

Mercato Orientale.
I read online that ' MOG Mercato Orinetale Genova' is place with multiple food corners, but all I saw here were
stands in a covered market. Nothing like a restaurant or restaurants as advertised on Tripadvisor.

Genoa, Italy (2021)

Via Balbi, Genoa
Via Balbi, the gate framing a series of colourful houses.

Via Balbi, Genoa
It is compulsory for me to photograph the washing on the line when in Italy at least once..

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Created 01-Nov-2021 | 09-Nov-2021

GENOA, ITALY «23-27Oct»

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GENOA, ITALY
«23-27Oct»