| Page Views: 279 Last Visit to Genoa: - | Genoa, Italy by al_mary - last update: Mar 8, 2006 |
Genoa, or in Italian, Genova, is a city and a seaport in
northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and
of the region of Liguria.
Genoa was a city of the ancient Ligurians. Its name is
probably Ligurian, meaning "knee" thus akin to the
name of Geneva.
Alternatively, the name has been claimed to derive from
Latin Janua, or "gate", the two-headed god Janus, or an
ancient word that means "foreigners", as the early settlers
were considered foreign by the neighbouring population.
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|  | Ancient History
Genoa's history goes back to ancient times.
A city cemetery, dating from the 6th and 5th
centuries B.C., testifies to the occupation of
the site by the Greeks, but the fine harbor
probably was in use much earlier, perhaps
by the Etruscans.
Destroyed by the Carthaginians in 209 BC,
the town was rebuilt by Rome, under which
the city enjoyed municipal rights and exported
skins, wood, and honey.
Although remaining faithful to Rome while
other Ligurian and Celtic peoples of northern
Italy stood by Carthaginians in the Second
Punic War, its importance as a Roman port
city was eclipsed by the rise of Vada Sabatia,
near modern Savona.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Genoa was
occupied by the Ostrogoths , then by the Lombards.
For the following several centuries, Genoa was
little more than a small, obscure fishing center,
slowly building its merchant fleet which was to
became the leading commercial carrier of the
Mediterranean Sea.
The town was sacked and burned in 934 by
Arab pirates but this didn't stop for long the
city's progress .....
Click On Photo To Enlarge
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Assorted Information & Attractions
The port of Genoa is the first in Italy.
It ranks second in the Mediterranean
after neighbouring Marseille, France.
The Aquarium of Genoa is the largest
in Europe.
Other landmarks of the city are the
Palazzo Ducale or Doge's Palace.
St. Lawrence Cathedral, or as known
in Italian, Cattedrale di San Lorenzo.
The Old Harbor or Porto Antico, was
transformed into a mall by architect
Renzo Piano, Via Garibaldi with its
superb palaces and the monumental
cemetery on Staglieno's hill.
The Museo d'Arte Orientale is one of
the largest collections of Oriental art
in Europe.
The University of Genoa, with 40,000
students was founded in 1481.
Genoa Cricket & Football Club founded
in 1893. UC Sampdoria, football club
founded in 1946.
The port of Genoa is home to an ancient
Lighthouse or "La Lanterna" - the lantern.
It is the oldest working lighthouse in the
world, one of the five tallest ones, and the
tallest brick one.
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Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips |
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