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History of Genoa
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The name Genoa
is believed to derive from 'Genua', founded by the two headed
Giano, protector of ships and coins. This was a city of two
faces, which looks both inland and towards the sea. Genoa, as
well as being full of mythical origins, has always been a
crossroads of traffic and culture, between continental Europe
and the Mediterranean, thanks to it natural position and the
initiative of its inhabitants. After the conquest of the Padana
plain in 569, Genoa became the main, Byzantine stronghold with
its own fleet, uniting the commercial and seafaring sides of the
city. Conquered and plundered by the Rotari from 641 to 643 and
then by Saracen pirates, the city only began to develop again
after the tenth century, thanks to help from the monasteries and
abbey and the first wall that finally surrounded the city. The
great, powerful and prosperous, sea commerce of Genoa started in
the eleventh century and, the city rivalled Pisa and Venice.
Genoa's participation in the Eastern Crusades, as well as
responding to religious needs and the aspirations of the Genoan
soldiers, made the city a valued importer of riches and new
products. In 1098, the merchants took over the commercial
district of Antiochia, and the 'Compagna' was set up the next
year, as the first communal associative instituition, giving
life to a mixed, ruling class of aristocratic, feudal and
mercantile origin. The historic centre was divided into eight
districts and the houses had to have porticoes to show the
limits of each area. These are still visible in Via di Sottoripa
and were opened in 1125. Churches in roman style were built here,
including the Chiesa di S.M. di Castello, Chiesa di S.Donato and
the A href=http://www.wcities.com/55/2/36/160/102519/detail.html>Cathedral
of S.Lorenzo, , which was built in 1118. The 'del Barbarossa'
walls were built from 1155 to 1160, of which there are still
some remains including Porta Soprana or di S.Andrea and Porta
dei Vacca (o di S.Fede).
Genoa increased its
business in the east, and in 1284, in the naval battle of
Meloria, it defeated Pisa, which was also an important port, and
so gained control of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Contrary to its naval
victories, it had a bitter fight on land for supremacy and
power, led by the Doria and Spinola families who were
Ghibellines and the Fieschi and Grimaldi families who were
Guelfs. Even the election in 1339 of the first doge, Simon
Boccanegra, did nothing to placate the struggles. In this
atmosphere of conflict and tension, the population got together
in 'alberghi', organised around the most prestigious families.
Those who followed them, gave up their own name and political
rank to assume that of the house they had chosen on the basis of
geographical vicinity or family ties. This period produced
gothic architecture, characterised by the use of black and white
marble to decorate facades. Popular with the religious orders
from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century, this led to the
construction of around ten churches including, the churches of
S.Agostino and S.Domenico, the fa?de of S.Lorenzo, and also the
civil palaces and towers. The Doria district, facing onto Piazza
S.Matteo, is a magnificent example of this and is still
relatively untouched, as is the Palace of the Capitano del
Popolo and the Grimaldi houses in Piazza S.Luca. As there was a
large population increase because of the economic success of the
city, it almost tripled in size, and in the first half of the
fourteenth century, a new city wall was built.
At the end of the
next century, which was characterised by a profound artistic
transformation, with the intervention of Lombardian and Tuscan
painters and sculptors, the Genoan Christopher Columbus
discovered America. There followed a period in which Genoa,
defeated by Venice, was dominated by Charles VII of France, by
Francesco Sforza, the Visconti of Milano and then by the French
again. In 1522, the Republic was set up and in 1528, the Admiral
Andrea Doria seized power and the city came under the rule of
Spain. A number of pirate attacks occurred along the Ligurian
coast in the second half of the sixteenth century, when
barbarians destroyed, plundered and kidnapped in Rapallo, Recco,
Lavagna, Moneglia and Sori. Watch out towers were built after
this from Arenzano to Moneglia. Despite the loss of the
Mediterranean colonies, the next thirty years of the
dictatorship of Andrea Doria gave stability and a new
constitution to the Republic with a radical renewal of building
carried out by the mot famous, renaissance masters, from Rome,
Tuscany, Venice and abroad, including Rubens and Van Dyck. The
end of internal fighting and foreign domination led to an
extraordinary blossoming of art and a period of great ecomomic
prosperity. The noble families competed to commission
masterpieces by the most famous artists of the time. The Genoan
baroque, which was very elegant and sophisticated, was innovated
mainly by P. Puget and F. Parodi, followed later by A.
Maragliano and the sculpture of F. Schiaffino. Outstanding
eighteenth century painters include A. Magnasco. In 1746 Genoa
was occupied by the Austrians but managed to overcome them led
by Balilla. In 1797, the Democatic Ligurian Republic was set up
on the French model. Besieged by the Austrians again and
defended by the French General Massena, in 1805 Genoa became
part of the French Empire, and in 1815, the new Duchy of Genoa
was united with the Kingdom of Sardinia. In the nineteenth
century, Genoa went through another phase of urban renewal led
by Carlo Barabino and the Cantone brothers with the opening of
large roads and some important public works, such as the
Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno (Cemetery of Staglieno) and
the Carlo Felice Theatre. Some famous figures from the
Risorgimento have Ligurian origins such as Mazzini, Bixio and
Mameli. Garibaldi's expedition left from the Quarto rock, at the
east of the city, which led to the unification of Italy. Genoa
was the first merchant port at the end of the nineteenth century.
In the twentieth century, the entire region contributed both men
and means to the two world wars and the fight for liberation.
After the industrial boom of the 1960's and the successive
economic stagnation, the port and the iron and steel industry
was faced with crisis, and Genoa became a cultural centre, a new
tourist destination and a city of art. It now faces the G8 in
2001 and will be European Cultural Capital in 2004.
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