Basilica of Santa Maria di Castello, Genoa

Basilica of Santa Maria di Castello, Genoa

The Santa Maria di Castello in Genoa traces its origins to before the 10thcentury, and is one of the oldest churches in town.

The Santa Maria di Castello in Genoa traces its origins to before the 10thcentury, and is one of the oldest churches in town. Standing on the Castello hill next to the Embriaci Tower, the present day Romanesque building is mostly from the 12th – 15th century.

The simple tripartite façade has a central portal with an architrave from the 3rdcentury, decorated with griffins. The interiors have 3 naves separated by columns with Roman capitals, and a rib-vaulted ceiling. The high altar has Domenico Parodi's 'Assumption' in marble, while on a nearby pillar in the Chapel of the Crucified to the left you can admire the wooden Cristo Moro, a sculpture of a crucified Christ without the trademark long hair and beard. The baptistery has a polyptych by Lombard masters of the 15th century. The church houses numerous artworks commissioned by Genoese noble families to artists, and they can be seen in the 12 side chapels.

To the right, the first chapel, dedicated to St. Pius V, has Alessandro Gherardini's 'St. Pius V and the Crucifix' and Giuseppe Palmieri's 'Mary Magdalene'. The third chapel, dedicated to the Archbishop of Florence St. Antonino, has an altarpiece of Madonna Odigitria with Saints by Pier Francesco Sacchi, and frescoes depicting stories of King David. The fifth chapel has an 'Assumption of Mary' by Aurelio Lomi, along with the tombs of nobleman Demetrio Canevari and physician Ursuline Thomas in the transept. The second, fourth and sixth chapel also have works by Aurelio Lomi.

To the left, the first chapel, dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena, houses the baptismal font, and has an altarpiece depicting the 'Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Catherine of Siena'. The second chapel, dedicated to St Vincent Ferrer, has Paggi's 'Guarigione di san Vincenzo'. The third chapel has an altarpiece by Giovanni Mazone depicting the Annunciation, set in a gilt wooden Gothic frame. The fourth chapel, dedicated to Blessed Sebastiano Maggi, has a painting depicting the arrival of Sebastian Maggi at Santa Maria di Castello by Francesco Zignago. The fourth chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, has a wooden ensemble attributed to Pasquale Navone from Anton Maria Maragliano's workshop, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Carlone. The sixth chapel, dedicated to St. Rose of Lima, has an altarpiece by Domenico Piola depicting the saint, and a marble cover by Taddeo Carlone.

The convent next to the church has three cloisters. Around the first cloister are the Dominican monks' living quarters, with kitchen and refectory. The second cloister has the working rooms such as chapter house, library, and apothecary. It is known for its loggia with Genoese school frescoes commissioned by the Grimaldi-Oliva family, statue of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a marble tabernacle attributed to Domenico Gagini, and the Annunciation by Giusto d'Alemagna.