Zeffirino In Genova

06/10/2025: Visiting the Rolli palaces is very interesting. Not all of these palaces have preserved their interiors, but the Red Palace is the richest in this regard, boasting high-quality works of art, numerous frescoes, and authentic interior furnishings. The White Palace also has paintings by Rubens, for example, while the Tursi Palace boasts a statue by Canova and violins once played by Poganini. The tour includes a visit to the courtyard between the palaces. I really wanted to see the standard of living of the Genoese nobility, and a visit to this museum gives a complete picture. They also host temporary exhibitions. In short, it's the whole package.

24/09/2025: Palazzo Rosso is part of a trio of palaces, along with Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Doria-Tursi, that can be visited as part of the Musei di Strada Nuova. A combined admission ticket to the Musei di Strada Nuova costs 9 euros. There was no long line at the ticket office. I recommend leaving this castle to the very end. It is one of the best-preserved examples of Genoese Baroque architecture and one of the palaces listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Palazzi dei Rolli system. Built between 1671 and 1677 for the Brignole-Sale family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Genoa, it owes its name to the red façade, characteristic of this building. In 1874, Maria Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera, donated the palace and its collections to the city, thus initiating the establishment of a public museum. The façade is in the late Baroque style, distinguished by its decorative details and intense color. The interiors are richly decorated with frescoes and stuccos, including those by Gregorio De Ferrari and Domenico Pioli. The palace retains the layout of a typical Genoese aristocratic residence, with stately halls and private apartments. The collection is one of the most valuable paintings in Genoa, encompassing works by Italian, Flemish, Spanish, and French masters. Italian Painting: - Guido Reni – Portrait of a Lady Dressed as a Goddess - Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) – Samson Captured by the Philistines - Bernardo Strozzi – Portrait of an Old Man and other paintings with religious and secular themes Flemish Painting: - Anthony van Dyck – several portraits of Genoese aristocrats (Van Dyck lived in Genoa from 1621 to 1627, creating numerous portraits of the local elite) - Paolo Rubens (Peter Paul Rubens) – works with religious and mythological themes Spanish and French Painting: - Francisco de Zurbarán – Saint Francis in Ecstasy - Murillo – Girl with a Coin - Philippe de Champaigne – Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu The Palazzo Rosso is the heart of the Musei di Strada Nuova collection, showcasing European art from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Thanks to its preserved interior decorations and rich collection of paintings, it offers an insight into the world of the Genoese aristocracy and its patronage of the arts. The only thing the palace staff should have paid attention to is the state of the restrooms. I'm horrified to conclude that dingy visitor bathrooms, without a toilet seat and with a broken cistern, are a shameful standard in Italy. Shameful!!!