Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
quickly became the city's most sought-after quarter, lined with the palaces of Genoa's
wealthiest citizens. Three of these
palazzi
(mansions) - Rosso, Bianco and Doria-Tursi -
comprise the Musei di Strada Nuova. Between them, they hold the city's finest collection
of old masters.
Paganiniana, which showcases a small but absorbing collection of legendary violinist Nic-
colò Paganini's personal effects. Pride of place goes to his Canone violin, made in Cre-
mona in 1743. One lucky musician gets to play the maestro's violin during October's
Paganiniana festival. Other artefacts on show include letters, musical scores and
Paganini's travelling chess set. Elsewhere the collections are centred on ceramics and
coins.
Via Garibaldi 18)
are the backdrop for several Van Dyck portraits of the local Brignole-Sale
family. Other stand-outs include Guido Reni's
San Sebastiano
and Guercino's
La Morte di
Cleopatra
(the Death of Cleopatra), as well as works by Veronese, Dürer and Bernardo
Strozzi.
(
www.museidigenova.it
; Via Garibaldi 11)
. Rubens'
Venere e Marte
(Venus and Mars) and Van
Dyck's
Vertumna e Pomona
are among the highlights, which also include works by Hans
Memling, Filippino Lippi and Spanish masters Murillo and Zurbarán.
MUSEUM
Palazzo Ducale
(
www.palazzoducale.genova.it
;
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti 9; admission depends on exhibition; exhibi-
tions 9am-9pm)
Once the seat of an independent republic, this grand palace was built in the
mannerist style in the 1590s and largely refurbished after a fire in the 1770s. Today it
hosts high-profile temporary art exhibitions (an excellent photography show was running
at last visit).
with a collection of original recordings. The
palazzo
also has a bookshop and the fine M-
Cafe.
