Genoa Cathedral

Genoa, Italy

Genoa Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Lawrence (San Lorenzo), and is the seat of the Archbishop of Genoa. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Gelasius II in 1118 and was built between the twelfth century and the fourteenth century as fundamentally a medieval building, with some later additions.

Various altars and chapels have been erected between the 14th and 15th centuries. The small loggia on the north-eastern tower of the façade was built in 1455; the opposite one, in Mannerist style, is from 1522. In 1550 the Perugian architect Galeazzo Alessi was commissioned by the city magistrates to plan the reconstruction of the entire building; however, he executed only the covering of the nave and aisles, the pavement, the dome and the apse.

The construction of the cathedral finished in the 17th century. The dome and the medieval parts were restored in 1894-1900.

The Museum of the Treasury lies under the cathedral and holds a collection of jewellery and silverware from 9 AD up to the present. Among the most important pieces are the sacred bowl brought by Guglielmo Embriaco after the conquest of Caesarea and supposed to be the chalice used by Christ during the Last Supper.

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Founded: 1118
Category: Religious sites in Italy

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Daniel Opat (39 days ago)
Awesome cathedral made from two-colored stones. Really worth the visit. Covered shoulders are mandatory but you can borrow a scarf for 1€.
Stephanie Richards-Gooch (4 months ago)
Lovely cathedral. Good view from the Tower (5 euros) if you can manage the spiral staircase steps.
J BM (4 months ago)
Lots of pickpockets near here. Found my bag open twice but I had my passport and wallet well hidden and not in my bag. So just be careful when walking around the beautiful city of Genoa. It is an easy city to walk around
Helen McIntyre (4 months ago)
Definitely worth a visit. It's quiet and dark inside, but it emphasises the main ceiling. The black and white tiles and decorations offer a stark comparison to the beauty and detail into the paintings. There is a square at the front if the building which gives you a great view of the cathedral and the steps are a good spot to enjoy an icecream!
Nana Kartvelishvili (5 months ago)
Must see destinations for pilgrims. The cathedral is richly decorated. The museum collection is not big but very important sanctities are kept.
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