National Gallery of Genoa
The Palazzo Spinola
The National Gallery of Liguria is housed in Palazzo Spinola, a picturesque Renaissance palace. It was built in the 16th century by the noble Grimaldi family, but over the centuries it changed hands several times until it finally became the property of the Spinola family, who in turn gave it to the state to allow for the creation of a museum.
To this day, the palace has retained its charm and the interior is still furnished with the original furnishings, loving restoration allows today to experience wonderful architecture of historic Italy on the two floors of the noble residence, complete with the fully preserved Hall of Mirrors on the second floor. Colorful ceiling paintings, magnificent chandeliers, as well as gold decorated pieces of furniture from the 18th century give the Ligurian National Gallery a very special atmosphere.
The National Gallery
The Ligurian National Gallery houses countless art treasures of various kinds. On its two floors you can discover paintings by famous Ligurian and European artists, including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Joss van Cleeve and many others. In addition to the paintings in the picture gallery, the house also houses a collection of antique fabrics, as well as a selection of valuable ceramic works.
On the lower floor of the building is the permanent exhibition of the Ligurian National Gallery, which contains, among other things, treasures and possessions of the two Spinola brothers, Franco and Paolo, the last noble owners of the palace.
In the following intermediate floor there are works by de Largilliére, de Troy and Gentileschi, among others.
On the second floor, the Hall of Mirrors and the famous painting "The Journey of Abraham and the Enchantress Circe" by the Genoese-born painter Giovanni Benedetto Castiglone, known as "Il Grecheto", among others, await the visitor.
There is the possibility to participate in a guided tour of the palace and the National Gallery. This is a good way to get an overview of the exhibitions and the building itself in a short time, but also to get more information and to be made aware of any special features. Since the tour is usually about 30 minutes long, the time is hardly enough to view each individual work sufficiently, but you have the opportunity to walk through the rooms again after the tour.
In conclusion, the National Gallery in Palazzo Spinola is one of the highlights of any visit to Exactly. Not only art lovers will get their money's worth here, because the immaculate condition of the historic palace, as well as the breathtaking view, which reveals itself from the roof terrace, hardly leave a visitor untouched. In the immediate vicinity of the palazzo there is also the possibility to taste original Genoese delicacies and thus get a further insight into the history of this very special city.
