PREVISIONES HISTÓRICAS

corso Italia

Corso Italia is an airy, enjoyable walk on wide and comforta-

ble pavements that have recently been reconstructed. It winds from the quarter of Foce, where you will also find the Fair- ground of Genoa (55), all the way to Boccadasse, offering a fascinating panoramic view from Portofino to Capo Mele. The first point of interest is Punta Vagno, with its lighthouse. This area still mantains the rocky feature, which characterised the entire coastline before the construction of Corso Italia in the beginning of the last century. What used to be cliffs and slo- ping hills, today is the elegant residential area of Albaro. The small fortress of San Giuliano and the remains of the original defence walls are embedded in the hillside and can be viewed from further along the promenade. Erected between 1819 and 1831, today it houses the barracks of the Carabinieri, the Italian military police. Further down is the Abbazia di San Giuliano

d’Albaro, a former abbey, which today is a Department of Art

and Art Reviews. The abbey was founded in the 13th _{century by}

the Friars of the Minorite convent and was passed on to the Benedictine monks who expanded an existing building by con- structing an adjacent convent. After having been deserted for years, it has been fully restored and transformed into a monu-

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mental complex with beautiful interior and exterior decors and some traces of 15th _{century decorations.}

The residential architecture of Corso Italia is also visible on the mountainside. Quite impressive is the small castle with pagoda roofs, immersed in a park with oriental geometries, an evocative example of Deco ornamentation. Just before Boccadasse, you can see a villa (resembling television screens), which was desi- gned in the rationalist style and “signed” by Daneri.

The walk continues past a number of bars and ice-cream cafés before concluding in front of the Church of Sant’Antonio. The church is full of testimonies of maritime life and memories of the fishermen who lived in this perfectly conserved village,

Boccadasse, overseen by the small church. Before descending

the steep pavement that leads to this corner of paradise, it is possible to appreciate the conglomerate of old houses surroun- ding the small beach with the boats moored on the shore. In this quarter, protected from traffic, amongst the characteristic houses of fishermen next to the ocean, the maritime history and atmosphere is alive and rich.

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The promenade of Nervi

Nervi offers two con-

trasting landscapes: the promenade by the sea and the pro- menade through the parks.

The public parks can be accessed via the small street adjacent to the train station’s car park (109) from where a footpath lea- ds also to the Anita

Garibaldi sea pro- menade.

Descend the steep paving, accompanied by the sea breeze that drifts over the

wonderful promenade. Turn eastwards to the small beach of Capolungo, or walk in the opposite direction towards the cha- racteristic marina of Nervi. The walk is a priceless pedestrian route leading closely along on the cliffs. Palm trees, maritime pines, bougainvillea and agaves frame the panorama of Camo- gli, Ruta and the promontory of Portofino. Historical plates along the walk explain that this area used to be a winter resort due to its mild climate, and from the 19th _{century until the}

beginning of the 20th _{century is was the preferred holiday desti-}

nation of many important aristocrats from Russia and England. The Saracen tower Groppallo stands along the journey to Capa- lungo. The 17th _{century tower was designed to withstand the}

attacks from pirates. The slightly odd, white building, resem- bling a ship, houses the bar-restaurant ‘Marinella’ (www), where Ligurian specialities are served. There are numerous bathing establishments, however only “La Scogliera” is accessible and

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the accessibility is limited only to the saltwater pool nestled amongst the olive groves. The pool can be reached from the park.

The parks of Nervi are an eight-hectare Eden: a gorgeous blend of sumptuous 19th _{century garden architecture. Hundre-}

ds of species of exotic and Mediterranean plants help create a paradise for all nature lovers. Especially worth mentioning is the ‘Roseto’, a rose garden, located next to Villa Grimaldi, that despite its close vicinity to the sea and the damaging effects of the salt spray, is thriving beautifully and each year is enri- ched with more varieties, which can be adored over more than 10000 square metres. Other famous blooms include the San- dro, a deep red flower dedicated to the former Italian presi- dent Pertini; the Anita Garibaldi, with small pink flowers; the Sivigliana and the Soraya, the flower dedicated to the princess of Monaco. Three famed villas, the ‘queens of the park’, are easy to find from via Capolungo, but unfortunately are not easily accessible from the Anita Garibaldi promenade as they are connected with the park by stairs and sloped paths.

The villas include Villa Luxoro, the summer residence of the royal Savoia family, Villa Grimaldi, now Raccolta Frugone Museum (91), and most importantly, Villa Serra, in which the

Gallery of Modern Art (80) was opened in December 2004.

The gallery displays 19th _{century paintings and sculptures}

by masters that were considered to be ‘ahead of their time’.

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La Lanterna (The lighthouse)

From the ferry port Terminal Traghetti Di Negro (108), a rai- sed path leads across a wooden walk, recently opened thanks to the Provincia di Genova, to the Lanterna. The walk towards the lighthouse is well maintained. It is then possible to walk along the sea, the port and the industrial sector of the city and to discover the city from a unique point of view. The first lighthouse probably dates from the 13th _{century, a time when}

Genoa was already considered to be one of the most impor- tant ports in the Mediterranean Sea. The lighthouse was built in 1543 on top of the existing foundations and formed one joined complex with the great city walls, the Mura Nuove, from the year 1626. The lighthouse is built on two levels. Each level is crowned with a double series of brackets interrupting the ascending rhythm, making the agility of the structure evident. The restoration works carried out during the 1960’s highli- ghted 18th _{century fresco of the Genoese coat-of-arms. La}

Lanterna with its coat-of-arms is today the city’s symbol. At the conclusion of the walk, you can

enjoy a view of the lighthouse and the remains of the old city wall. A 17th _cen-

tury watchtower is located adjacent to the entrance of the square. A closer view of the monument, sitting on the rocks, is accessible only via a steep asphalted ascent. Recent improve- ments in accessibility to the fortress have coincided with the opening of

the Park and the Museo del- la Lanterna (81). The

museum and park are easy to reach by means of electric scooters (113) and the park’s toilets are accessible to wheel- chairs.

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