For some reason, everything, describing the sights of Genoa, forget (or do not know) about one important point.
Genoa really has a rich history and rich in objects of architecture and art. Moreover, in 2004, it was defined as the cultural capital of all of Europe. It is a fact.
But now directly related to music is undeservedly deprived by attention.
But Genoa is homeland not only for Christopher Columbus. In this city, on October 27, 1782, a boy was born, who was destined to become the greatest and unsurpassed Violin Master - Nikolo Paganini !
Garibaldi street (Via Garibaldi) is rightfully considered the beautiful street Genoa. Here is a house, then a luxury palace. And in 2006 it was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. I will not tell about all the palaces, I will stop in more detail at home number 9. This is Palazzo Doria Tourcy. And it is this palace that was the main goal of our journey to Genoa.
Doria Tourcy Palace It was built in the 1565th year. Initially, he was one of those Genoese Palaces (all of them three), the apartments of which were provided to the most important guests of Genoa, visiting the city with official visits - kings, emperors and Roman dads.
From the middle of the XIX century and so far here is located Municipality Genoa . In addition, (which is important), several buildings of the building are actually provided to the museum, located in the neighboring Palazzo Bianco. The most important exhibit and pride of the museum is the famous violin on which Nikolo Paganini played " Canon "(" IL CANNONE "). It is stored there since 1851. His honorable Violin occupies in a relatively small room just buildings of the city municipality.
But the path to the violin of Paganini came out thorny. I think not knowing one subtlety, so you can go from Genoa, without seeing this unique item ...
So. We fell into the genome on a weekend. The municipality building was open to free access. Is free. The courtyard is quite beautiful: a lot of columns, a beautiful staircase, a large number of sculptures, interesting from an artistic point of view of a clock tower. Everything is made in white and pink tones. Lovely. But there is no one at all! And ask no one else ...
We walked around the stairs, corridors and floors in search of violin. We looked through the glass on the meeting room. But! I did not find the right entrance. All doors inside the municipality were closed. I was just managed through the keyhole of one of the doors to see the inscription, meaning that Paganini violin was stored in that room. And the door is closed.
Deciding that we "successfully" arrived in an innocent day, gathered to leave. At the exit, I went to the souvenir shop of the municipality. Purely randomly, asking the seller, I learned that you can see the violin every day. Just come to go first in Palazzo Bianco , This is a neighboring building. And already there, moving along the gallery of the museum, gradually get into the right room.
A little later, we learned that everything is so confused due to the fact that Palazzo Bianco is also the property of the municipality. And from the end of the XIX century, the palace gradually turns into an art gallery.
The entrance to the museum cost us 8 euros per person. Externally, this palace with a characteristic white facade is not very noticeable. But here is truly one of the most serious collections of paintings in Genoa. We saw pictures of famous (and not very) Italian and Dutch artists, among which Luke Cambianaso, Veronese, Filippo Lippi, Andrea Sezynino, Yana Prost, Josa Wang Kleve, as well as "Magdalene" Antonio Canova. But the picture of Caravaggio Behold The Man was taken to some exhibition in the United States.
In other halls, the museum presents a collection of coins and products from ceramics, there are several letters of Columbus and other numerous interesting exhibits.
The path to the building of the municipality passes on the roof of the Palazzo Bianco, from where in all its glory is visible Palazzo Rosso (From the street he looks simple). His halls can also admire the outstanding works of Italian painters.
But let's return to the municipality.
Here we enter the very last hall of the museum. Here is just the magnificent creation of work then to anyone who is not yet a famous violin master Bartolomeo Giuseppe Gwarnery, Del Jesu. Famous " Canon " Presumably was made in 1743.
The violin was presented to Paganini in 1802 by a certain Paris merchant, whose name was not preserved in history. The sound of this violin seventeen-year-old Paganini was just shocked. "Canon" accompanied Paganini all his life and was a favorite tool of the master, despite the fact that he had a fairly large collection of violins asia and Stradivari. Gwarnery Paganini visited his wonderful violin, and after his death, the violin received the name "Paganini widow."
Now once a year, the violin carefully removes the museum from the showcase for playing the musician worthy of this. Most often, this honor is honored by Paganini competition winners.
By the way, it is reliably known that Antonio Stradivari himself envied the work of Del Jesu. He noted that his own violins exceed the tools Giuseppe Guarnerty with softness and brilliance, but at the same time they clearly inferior to them in the power of sound. Like this.
Also in the last hall there is another tool of Paganini - the violin of Jean-Batista William, donated to the master in 1834 Camillo Sivori. There are other items associated with the life of the Great Nikolo Paganini. Very impressive.
And, in my opinion, Paganini's violin deserve clearly more attention and respect than even several Genoa Aquariums!
In addition, the Opera House can be distinguished from serious cultural objects of Genoa - TEATRO CARLO FELICE . It was started in 1824. Located near the fountain on Ferrari Square. After the bombing during the Second World War, it was almost completely destroyed, later restored. On a small area in front of the theater there is a monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the hero of Italy. But the Tower (Torre) near the Opera Theater was attached quite recently, in 1990.
Genoa also contains one of the largest universities in Italy.