Things to do in Genoa, Liguria: The Best Architectural Buildings

Palazzo Tursi Since 2004, the Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi – the three historical, municipally-owned stately homes in the 16th-century Strada Nuova – constitute a continuous exhibition devoted to ancient art: the Museums of Strada Nuova. The Palazzo Rosso, historical residence of the Brignole Sale family, and the Palazzo Bianco, a prestigious art gallery, have been open to the public since the end of the 19th century; the Palazzo Tursi, the seat of the Municipality, hosts a museum as well as cultural and official events. Joint in a continuous exhibition path, the three buildings retain their own specific historical features and collections, transforming the Strada Nuova into a real ‘museum-street’: a masterpiece of the Genoese architectural and residential tradition, with a cultural establishment unique in size, features, quality and prestige. The Museums of Strada Nuova also provide cafeteria services and bookshops.

On 13 July 2006, the site"Genoa: le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli" entered UNESCO’s World Heritage List of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Forming an organic urban unit, the site is made up of late-Renaissance and Baroque streets and squares lined by over a hundred palaces belonging to the city’s noble families. The grandest residences, each with its own architectural style and individual character, were an official lists (Rolli), and lots were drawn to decide which palace would have the privilege of playing host to visiting state dignitaries. Often erected on sloping ground, the Palazzi dei Rolli were designed according to the sequence atrium-courtyard-grand staircase-gardens and boast richly decorated interiors. They embody a distinctive social and economic identity and mark the beginning of the era of modern urban architecture in Europe.