A Gorgeous Day in Genoa ~Cathedral of San Lorenzo, Views, Churches and the Christmas Spririt

Genoa, Italy

December 17, 2012

Vincenzo and I had had a very full weekend. Now, it was a Monday, and when he went off to work, I headed back to Piazza de Ferrari, on the bus. Kind of scary, but I made it and got off at the right stop! As you can see, it was a spectacular day!

A little Christmastime Vivaldi for the Visit

"Il Riposo per il Santo Natale"

Duomo di Genoa

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

Founded originally in the 5th or 6th Century A.D.

Consecrated in 1118

Built over several centuries, the facade completed in 1312

The facade, with its glorious details.

The construction of the cathedral was finished in the 1600s, with the medieval portions and dome restored from 1894-1900.

It's beautiful impressive nave and altar ...

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will...

~William Cowper, Olney Hymns

The cathedral was bombed, in February of 1941. Thank God (really!) that though a shell came into the church, through the roof, it did not detonate. Crazy right?

St. John the baptist is the patron saint of Genoa and it is said that his ashes were brought there, during the crusades, and are kept in the cathedral. The chapel was built for his relics and to honor their patron saint.

The Chapel of St. John the Baptist 
Cathedral of San Lorenzo

As you can see it's a huge chapel with many, many statues. Part of its ceiling, in the next photo.

This is looking back toward the entrance of the cathedral, with it's medieval frescoes.

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,

And daub their natural faces unaware.

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh

More details on the outside of the cathedral ...

From the steps of the cathedral ...

A beautiful nearby building ...

San Pietro in Banchi

1572

Like so many churches, this one was built over a pagan temple. This time, the church was built in gratitude, for the town surviving a big outbreak of an epidemic. 

It's a little strange, but there are actually shops underneath the church, at the ground level.

It's not a very big church, but I love the soft faded colors of the facade, and the design of this ceiling!

Unfortunately, I read after my visit, that the amazing woman and painter, Artemisia Gentileschi, (1593-1653) lived in one of the buildings, just to the left of the church! Her father was also a well known painter and they were both part of the Caravaggisti movement. Going to have to research that more, if I ever get to go back!

Porta Soprana

1155

Part of the defensive Barbarossa walls.

According to Wikipedia, Genoa has more and longer walls than any other city in Italy. Porta Soprana is the best known gate, and is on the east side of the old part of the city. It's right above the Christopher Columbus house, as well.

I'd seen a sign on the outside, that there was a Precipe inside. A nativity.

There are a lot of stairs to climb ...

The thing is, that I kept climbing all those stairs, after I saw this, below. Because, this just couldn't be the Nativity, that they were advertising. 

When I realized that it was, I felt I should put my face in that hole ... on the right. Yes, the one with the tail. Figured it would be appropriate.

However, there was no one else up there to take a picture of me, as said barn animal, so we will just have to use our imaginations.

On the upside, I got a whole lot of exercise, on those stairs ... and an amazing view!

Church of San Donato

Consecrated 1189

This is the small piazza, out in front of the church. Can you see the christmas stars hanging across it? I bet it looked adorable, at night.

San Donato has beautiful Genovese Romanesque architecture, with "reclaimed" Roman columns, in its nave.

Through a side door was this triptych, which was pretty amazing. It's the Adoration of the Magi, by Flemish painter Joos Van Cleve. (16th Century)

via

I actually have a few more Genoa posts left, one from Piemonte, as well as Milan (Which will go up, probably on Christmas.) So, the Italy trip posts will still go through (at least) the new year. 

But now, I'm off to wrap more presents and watch Santa Claus is coming to town, on my DVR. ;)

Make yourself familiar with the angels, 

and behold them frequently in spirit;

for without being seen,

they are present with you.

~St. Francis DeSales

 I hope you all have a magical Christmas Eve, 

filled with love and many blessings!

Truffles, Twinkle Lights, Art and Snow! I love Genoa!

I took the train on December 13, 2012 from Assisi, up North to Genoa, to meet up with my friend Vincenzo. 

It was great to see Vincenzo. It had been 4 years since Larry and I had met up with him in Rome. Vincenzo is a native Genovese but had worked with my friend Larry at Mt. Sinai in New York for a brief stint, and he'd decided to meet up with us in Rome, that fall. 

It was great to see him again, and after a long time traveling alone, it was a relief to stay with someone in their home, hand over the reigns a bit, and not have to be thinking and planning ahead for every little thing. Plus we spend the whole week cracking up laughing.

I told him that the app on my iPhone was telling me it might snow in Genoa, the next day. 

"No, not in December. It's rare that it snows, and it would be in January or February."

I look out the window the next morning and said, "What's that white stuff? It looks suspiciously like snow!" 

I had tried to tell Vincenzo, that when I am in Italy, I bring crazy weather with me. It wasn't supposed to snow in Assisi either, but it did there too. Well, flurries, at least. 

I told him, "I'm telling you, I'm Mr. Snow Miser!" 

Of course, being Italian, he had no idea what I meant.

"There are these funny Christmas shows from the 1970s, they play every year in the U.S., and there's this character Snow Miser … whatever he touched turned to snow …"

He gave me a blank stare. 

So, I did what I do now, when I don't know how to describe something. 

I find it on YouTube. (Heat Miser is on this video too. ;)

There was a mix of snow and ice on the trees ...

Every morning he made coffee with this, so when I got home, I went on Amazon and ordered one immediately! Yummy but very strong. This is where the milk frother comes in.

 

I fell in love with his red chandelier. Isn't it fabulous?

He knew I was coming so he put up a few decorations. Sweet huh?

This, below, is his entryway floor. I am showing you, because these floors are very typical for Genoa.

Vince had to work that day, so I cabbed it to Palazzo Ducale. I did some research ahead and there were two exhibitions going on. A huge Mirò retrospective and a large installation of Steve McCurry photographs. 

Piazza De Ferrari

Palazzo Ducale
Doge's Palace

Before becoming an art and cultural center, it was once the home of the Doges of Genoa.

The original sections of the Palace were built from 1251- 1275, and the Tower of the People was completed in 1539. The palace was under restoration in the late 16th century, and in the mid 17th century, and during the Baroque period, it was frescoed by Giovanni Battista Carlone and Domenico Fiasella. In 1777, there was a fire and there were parts that were rebuilt in the Neoclassical style. Got all that?

Looking out of Palazzo Ducale to Piazza De Ferrari ...

There was a good size cafe, so I had a big plate of seafood pasta sustenance, and headed into Mirò. 

I try to apply colors 
like words 
that shape poems,
like notes
that shape music.
~ Joan Mirò

The Mirò video I found, below, was made for the exhibition, but is in Italian. At least you can see the galleries. It was a beautiful and quite extensive. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for Mirò's work, seeing it in person … and so much of it! 

It's a little long so you can just watch the beginning of it, unless of course you speak Italian. Then, you can have at it.

The work is so bold and filled with light, and once again, after so much medieval art, it was refreshing. (I say again because seeing Matisse at the Vatican, it felt like a similar breath of fresh air.) It's not that I don't love Medieval art, or Renaissance for that matter ... I do. Love it. But, it's nice to mix things up after a while.

I feel the need of attaining the maximum of intensity

with the minimum of means.

It is this which has led me to give my painting

a character of even greater bareness.

~Joan Mirò

You actually walk outside, as I recall, to get into the gallery where the Steve McCurry exhibition was held. Steve McCurry, if you are unfamiliar, is a photographer who has taken numerous photos (understatement) for National Geographic. He also did their famous magazine cover of the "Afghan Girl."

View of Palazzo Ducale, from Piazza Matteotti.

Below, is an interview with Mr. McCurry, (In English!!) with shots of the rooms where the photography was hung, at the Palazzo Ducale. It was really interesting how creative they were in hanging the show! 

I look for the unguarded moment,

the essential soul peeking out,

experience etched on a person's face.

~Steve McCurry

The first room, with the large portraits, was my favorite. They hung the portraits on a series black scrims, that were a bit transparent so you could see through to the next line of portraits. Hard to describe! You'll see it in the video around 1:37 - 3:20, and then after 6 or so minutes. 

My life is shaped by the urgent need
to wander and observe,
and my camera is my passport.
~Steve McCurry

The photograph is an undeniable powerful medium.

Free from the constraints of language, 

and harnessing the unique qualities 

of a single moment frozen in time.

~Steve McCurry

I spent quite a while at the museum! They were both really extensive exhibitions and very much worth seeing.

It was getting dark and I decided to walk and enjoy the lights outside Palazzo Ducale ...

I walked up the main street that runs into the piazza. You see below the striped architecture, very typical of Genova, as well as the pointed arches. 

Below those arches are a bunch of shops! My favorite socks are from there! Coziest socks ever, by the way.

Look familiar? Like the floors at Vincenzo's, but these are outside under the colonnade!

There was still a bit of snow on the ground and I figured Vincenzo would still be at worked so I just kept walking and taking photos!

I love Christmas lights in Italy … each street and neighborhood seem to have a different theme of lights ...

At this point, the wind had really picked up and my boots were pretty much soaked through, so I caught a cab right here and headed back to Vincenzo's place.

Back at Vincenzo's we made dinner decisions and since they don't make reservations there until about 9:30pm, I ate more cheese in one sitting than I do in a month here … just to tide me over.

The cheese on the left was truffle cheese I brought from Umbria. The one on top was goat ricotta. Yes, goat. And, oh my good gravy, it was one of the best things ever. Light- like a cloud. 

Then on the right, primo sale (translates to 'salt cheese' but not really very salty.) You could just eat it, all day long. Along with this, we had meats and red wine. 

Crazy thing? My stomach was just fine!

Off to dinner … we happened to walk past Columbus' house. Or at least that's what the guidebook says. 

Into the little, groovy neighborhood where we had dinner ...

Ah yes, one of the best meals … of my life.

I'm pretty sure I was the only non-Italian in the place. And there was a table full of the hottest Italian men you've ever seen, which unfortunately I didn't get a picture of. Sorry! Anyway, back to the food ...

 

The wine was insane, by the way. Dolcetto di Diano D'Alba. So delicious. Helps to have an Italian, with good taste, ordering.

 I am cracking up that I found a video on YouTube of the restaurant. In Italian, of course, but it shows the restaurant (which looked very different at night!) as well as shots of the neighborhood. ;)

OK, here it is. 

Heaven on a plate. 

Homemade pasta … with shaved truffles.

 

I told Vincenzo I would be fantasizing about that pasta, torturing myself in years to come. So far, so true. After that, I had an amazing steak with pepper sauce. Someday, I will go back for that pasta. I will. And, the steak.   

Thank you Vincenzo!!!!!! 

This cool thing, below, was painted on a metal door across from the restaurant. Cool, right?

Well, that was my first full day in Genova. More to come, and some Felliniesque moments, as well!

For Steve McCurry's Blog (my all time favorite photography blog) click HERE.

For a more extensive history of the Palazzo Ducale, (very interesting, lots of history) click here.
For a virtual tour, click here.
For information and upcoming exhibitions, click here.
(Currently there is a Edvard Munch exhibition, and photo exhibition of Robert Doisneau)

You can look at a picture for a week

and never think of it again.

You can look at a picture for a second

and think of it for all your life.

~Joan Miró