It’s only natural to expect a city like Genoa to have a soul rich in traditions and celebrations. And indeed, its history begins in the fifth century BC, it was one of the Maritime Republics, and it has always asserted its independence in defiance of the powers of past times. Today it is one of Italy’s main ports, and in 2004 was proclaimed European Capital of Culture.
The whole year round, Genoa’s streets, squares and seas become the stage for historic parades and pageants, such as the one commemorating the triumphant return from the Holy War of Guglielmo Embriaco, alias Testadimaglio (William the Drunkard, alias Mallet Head), with the Sacro Catino (Holy Bowl), a relic on display today at the Museum of San Lorenzo. Another such tradition is the Palio Marinaro di San Pietro, which is contested at the end of June every year in the waters off Genoa’s Riviera di Levante or Eastern Riviera.
Another age-old custom, the tradition of the nativity scenes, brings its magnificent constructions and ancient figurines to the Ligurian capital. One of them is on permanent display at the Palazzo Reale, while many others are open to the public from October until spring.
There is no shortage of celebrations and events in honour of Genoa’s patron saint, San Giovanni Battista, who is commemorated on the 24th of June, which is a public holiday for all Genoese. Yet another saint who is commemorated is San Francesco da Paola, patron saint of sailors and hence an important tradition for the city: still today the “campana del mare” or “bell of the sea” rings out every evening.
Genoa’s traditions hold many wonders in store, to be experienced and discovered in order to appreciate the spirit of its centuries-old history.
Pochi sanno che la tradizione presepiale genovese risale agli inizi del XVII secolo e si sviluppa a tal punto da far sì che Genova...
La cerimonia del Confeugo riprende un’antica tradizione della Repubblica di Genova, documentata dal secolo XIV, ma probabilmente più antica.
In...
La Pasqua cristiana è la più antica e solenne festa del calendario liturgico: in principio intendeva ricordare solo il giorno della morte di Gesù ma col...
San Francesco di Paola, il più giovane fondatore di un Ordine religioso, nasce a Paola sulla costa calabrese, il 27 marzo 1416, e a 12 anni indossa il saio...
La Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare (o Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare) è una manifestazione sportiva di...
Il 29 giugno (o la domenica più vicina a tale data) Genova festeggia un Santo tradizionalmente legato al mare: il “Santo pescatore” Pietro, al...
Giuseppe Mazzini nacque a Genova, in Via Lomellini, il 22 Giugno 1805 da Giacomo, professore universitario ex giacobino, e da Maria Drago. Interessato alle...
Goffredo Mameli nacque a Genova il 5 Settembre 1827 da un Ammiraglio della Marina Sarda e dalla Marchesa Adelaide Zoagli Lomellini.
Casa Mameli era...
Il Corteo Storico di Genova rievoca un evento storico dell’anno 1101: il trionfale ritorno del condottiero genovese Guglielmo Embriaco (detto “Testadimaglio...
Fra fine agosto e i primi di settembre, dal 1991, a Pontedecimo si tiene il “Palio della Tavola Bronzea”.
La...
San Francesco di Paola, or Saint Francis of Paola, was born in Paola, on the coast of Calabria, on 27 March 1416; at 12 years old, he took the Franciscan...
San Giovanni Battista is the saint protector of Genoa and he is celebrated on the day of his birth on June 24th.
...On June 29th (or the Sunday closest to that date), Genoa celebrates a Saint traditionally linked with the sea: the "Fisherman Saint" Peter,...
The Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics (also known as the Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare) is a sports...
Between the end of August and the first day of September, since 1991 Pontedecimo holds the Palio of the Bronze Table.
The initiative celebrates the...
Few know that the tradition of Genoese cribs dates back to the early seventeenth century and has developed to such an extent that Genoa established itself,...
The ceremony of the Confeugo takes up an old tradition of the Republic of Genoa, documented since the 14th century but probably dating back even further....
The Medieval Pageant of Genoa re-enacts a historical event from the year 1101: the triumphant return of the Genoese condottiere Guglielmo Embriaco (known as...
Giuseppe Mazzini was born in Genoa, in Via Lomellini, on 22 June1805, to Giacomo, a former Jacobean university professor, and Maria Drago. He took a keen...
Goffredo Mameli was born in Genoa on 5 September 1827 to an Admiral of the Sardinian Navy and the Marchioness Adelaide Zoagli Lomellini.
The...
Christian Easter is the oldest, most solemn feast on the liturgical calendar: initially intended to commemorate the day of the death of Jesus, it has over...
Chi ama l’artigianato tipico cosa può trovare a Genova? L’artigianato genovese è soprattutto l’...
I primi insediamenti sul territorio genovese risalgono all’epoca pre-romana, circa nel IV-V secolo a.C.
Publio Cornelio Scipione sfruttò questo...
Cristoforo Colombo nacque a Genova nel 1451, da Domenico Colombo e Susanna Fontanarossa.
Sono poche lo notizie sulla sua infanzia, certo è che iniziò...
Fabrizio De Andrè, “Faber” come lo soprannominò l’amico d’infanzia Paolo Villaggio, non ha quasi bisogno di presentazioni. È uno dei...
Eugenio Montale, fondamentale poeta e scrittore italiano, nacque a Genova, in un palazzo...
Niccolò Paganini, violinista, compositore e anche chitarrista, è stato uno fra i personaggi più rilevanti della musica italiana dell’...
Attore, scrittore, comico, umorista, sceneggiatore e conduttore televisivo, Paolo Villaggio nasce a Genova il 30 dicembre 1932.
Tutti lo ricordiamo...
A Genova nel periodo da primavera a novembre sono oltre 200 le processioni religiose che si svolgono. Queste prendono il nome di...
Eugenio Montale was a fundamental Italian poet and writer and was born in Genoa on October 12th in 1896...
Fabrizio De Andrè, or “Faber” as he was nicknamed by his friend Paolo Villaggio, does not need to be introduced. He is considered one of the...
Cristoforo Colombo was born in Genoa in 1451, from Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa.
There is little information about his childhood, but...
Actor, writer, comedian, humorist, screenwriter and tv host Paolo Villaggio was born in Genoa on December 30th in 1932.
We all remember him as the...
The violinist, composer and guitarist Niccolò Paganini was one of the most relevant musician of the Italian 19th century. He is considered...
From the first days of spring until November there are more than 200 religious processions in Genoa. They are called ”processioni delle Casacce...
The earliest settlements in the Genoa area are pre-Roman, dating to around the fifth and fourth centuries BC.
Publius Cornelius Scipio made use of...
What can lovers of traditional crafts find in Genoa? Genoa’s handicraft culture is above all ...