Page 144 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

142  THE IT ALIAN RIVIER A AREA B Y AREA

P Piazza Salineri
The heart of mercantile
trading in the Middle Ages,
thanks to its position by the
sea, this lovely square still has
traces of its former splendour,
especially in the streets opening
onto it: Via Orefici and Via
Quarda Superiore.
Two interesting towers
rise up above the piazza:
the Ghibellina (dated 1200)
and the tower of the Aliberti
(1100). Nearby stands the
dilapidated 16th-century Palazzo
Martinengo, which bears a
curious conun drum: five
proverbs have been muddled
up to create a word game,
and the onlooker is invited to Fishing boats in the harbour, with the Torre del Brandale behind
reconstruct the sayings.
Latin. In English it reads: “In which have richly painted
P Torre di Leon Pancaldo this raging sea, this sudden archi tectural decoration instead
Piazza Leon Pancaldo. storm, I beseech thee, oh of more sculptural motifs.
This small tower at one end of guiding star.” The interior, where chapels
the harbour (by the cruise ship face onto a single room with
terminal) is the last remnant of R Chiesa di Sant’Andrea a barrel vault, is charming.
the 14th-century walls. It is Via Paleocapa. Tel 019 851 952. Liberally adorning the place
dedicated to the Savona-born Open 8:30am–noon daily. are 18th-century trompe
navigator who accompanied The lovely arcaded Via l’oeil frescoes and stuccoes,
Magellan on his voyages to Paleocapa, Savona’s main which create a wonderfully
the Americas, and who died shopping street, runs inland illusionistic background.
on the Rio della Plata in 1538. from the Torre di Leon Pancaldo. Traditionally, the high altar
The tower features an effigy of Notice the lovely Palazzo dei is attributed to Francesco
the Madonna della Misericordia, Pavoni at no. 3, designed by Parodi, but he may have been
patron saint of the city, dated Alessandro Martinengo. responsible only for the design.
1662. Beneath it is a verse by the A short distance along the In the presbytery, the statue of
local poet Gabriello Chiabrera, street, a broad flight of steps Christ Arisen (Cristo Risorto), to
dedicated to the Madonna: “In leads up to the church of whom the oratory is dedicated,
mare irato/In subita procella/ Sant’Andrea. This was built at is by an unknown artist. The
Invoco Te/Nostra benigna stella”, the beginning of the 18th organ dates from 1757, and
unusual because the words are century as the Jesuit church there are also some fine 15th-
the same in both Italian and of Sant’Ignazio, on the site of century carved choir stalls.
a medieval church. It has an Maragliano’s Annunciation
elegant façade, while inside there (1722), the Addolorata (1795)
is an Immaculate Conception by Filippo Martinengo and the
(1749) by Ratti and a Madonna Deposition (1866) by Antonio
(1500s) by Defendente Ferrari. In Brilla are three processional
the sacristy is an icon of St Nicholas floats for which the oratory is
from Constantinople, and a famous. Many churches in
Madonna della Misericordia (1800s), Savona have floats featuring
sculpted by Antonio Brilla. scenes from the Passion which
are shown on the streets on
R Oratorio del Cristo Risorto Good Friday.
Via Paleocapa. Tel 019 838 63 06.
Open 4–7pm Mon–Sat; 8:30am– P Palazzo Della Rovere
noon Sun. Via Pia 28.
Further along Via Paleocapa, this The ancient Via Pia, which
oratory was reconstructed in the begins near the oratory, is one
early 17th century as part of an of the most charming streets
existing convent of Augustinian in the old city. Hemmed in and
nuns, the Santissima Annunziata. full of shops of every descrip-
The Torre di Leon Pancaldo, The façade is typical of many tion, its medieval layout has lost
known as the “Torretta” Baroque buildings in the region, none of its original fascination.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp182–3 and pp194–7

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