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The construction of the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa began during the flourishing period
of the Republican history of the city. Genoa was gradually consolidating its economical
power in the Mediterranean sea, with the defeat of the Republic of Pisa in the
naval battle at Meloria (1284) and the defeat of the Republic of Venice, in the
naval battle near the island of Curzola (1298).
Oberto Spinola and Corrado Doria, Capitani del Popolo (People's Leaders), bought
in 1291 all the houses located between the churches of San Lorenzo and San Matteo.
Three years later, after the exile of its owner, they acquired the neighbouring
palazzo with its tower which belonged to the heirs of Alberto Fieschi, and started
the construction of the first nucleus of the Palace, which would be named "Ducale"
from 1339, when it became the seat of the first Genoese Doge, Simon Boccanegra.
The foundations of the awe-inspiring tower named "Torre del Popolo"
("Tower of the People"), also belong to this early period: it was completed
in 1539 and still "towers" over the old part of the city.
During the 14th century the Palace was enlarged, other buildings were added to
the original one to fulfil the need for an inner square.
The medieval structure disappeared with the works carried out during the 16th
century; the Palace acquired a new appearance which would represent more fittingly
the new oligarchic Republic.
Andrea Ceresola from Ticino, better known as "Vannone", was given the
task of modernizing the building in 1591. The work of this artist changed the
general aspect of the Palace, now enlarged with a grand covered hall, next to
which were two different shaped yards.
The imposing double staircase, which goes up to the lodges on the first floor,
was also ascribed to Vannone. The Western flight - often used by the Doge's processions
- leads directly to the public rooms of the Palace, i.e. the "Salone del
Maggior Consiglio" (Great Council Hall) and the "Sala del Minor Consiglio"
(Minor Council Hall) and to the dogal Suite.
The Chapel, in the same lodge, is a simple rectangular room entirely decorated
by Giovanni Battista Carlone (1653-55). On the vault a series of frescoes refers
to the glorification of the Virgin Queen, on the occasion of the proclamation
of Mary as Queen of Genoa.
The intention to celebrate the glories of the town is evident in the subject chosen
for the frescoes on the side wall, where examples of civic virtues are represented
and inserted in a "trompe l'oeil" architectonic frame.
Apart from this set of paintings, also belonging to the decorative phase of the
17th century is the fresco by Domenico Fiasella on the left flight of stairs.
This painting represents God the Father with the dead Christ in his lap surrounded
by Mary and the Patron Saints Baptist, George and Bernard.
During the fire of 1777 several parts of the Palace, such as the original decoration
of the "Salone del Maggior Consiglio" were destroyed. Eventually, Giuseppe
Isola frescoed an allegory of the Ligurian trade in 1875.
The reconstruction of the central side of the building began from a design of
the Ticinese Simone Cantoni, a famous neo-classical architect. Cantoni designed
also the inner decoration of the official hall: the "Salone del Maggior Consiglio"
is covered with a huge barrel vault with pavillion head-pieces and decorated with
stuccoes.
The walls are cast with a set of pilasters with capitals in stucco and bases in
yellow marble.
The adjacent "Salonetto" (Minor Council Hall) is elegant in its proportions
and refined in its plastic gilded decorations.
The works carried out in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century
contributed in altering the original structure of the Palace and isolating it
from the surrounding environment. A decorated façade was built specially
by Orlando Grosso for the construction of the new De Ferrari square on the Eastern
Side of the Palace.
On the day of its opening (14th May 1992), the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa - 38,000
sq.m. and 300,000 cu.m. - was the largest restoration project undertaken in Europe.
Thanks to Architect Giovanni Spalla's project, the building complex has regained
its original "Vannonian architecture", though, at the same time, maintaining
its links with the past (medieval structures, Cantoni's intervention, main front
of 1935).
The innovation that constitutes the space-connecting element of the system, is
the large "over-hanging path", a helicoidal steel-structure slope, rising
from the lower floors to the terraces.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
C.G. Ratti
Vite dè pittori, scultori ed architetti
Genova, 1768-69
O.Grosso - G. Pessagno
Il Palazzo del Comune di Genova
Società Ligure di Storia Patria, Genova, 1933
F. Sborgi
Il Palazzo Ducale di Genova
Stratificazione urbanistica e architettura
(Quaderno n. 6, Istituto di Storia dell'Arte, Università di Genova),
Genova, 1970
Il Palazzo Ducale di Genova - Il concorso del 1777 e l'intervento di Simone
Cantoni
a cura di Andrea Buti e Gianni V. Galliani
Sagep Editrice, Genova, 1981
G. Spalla
Il restauro del Palazzo Ducale di Genova dalla progettazione all'attuazione
in Anastilosi, L'antico, il restauro, la città.
Laterza, Bari, 1981
L. Grossi Bianchi - E. Poleggi
Una città portuale del medioevo. Genova nei secoli X-XVI
Sagep Editrice, Genova, 1987
Genova Palazzo Ducale.
Recupero e riscoperta della sede governativa della repubblica marinara
Editer, Roma, 1988
E. Gavazza - F. Lamera - L. Magnani
La pittura in Liguria. Il secondo Seicento
Sagep Editrice, Genova, 1990
Giovanni Spalla e Caterina Arvigo Spalla
Il Palazzo Ducale di Genova - dalle origini al restauro del 1992
Sagep Editrice, Genova, 1992
Palazzo Ducale
a cura di Franco Ragazzi
Tormena Editore, Genova, 1997
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