Page 63 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

IL CENTRO ST ORIC O  61

Restora tion carried out on the one of the most famous
building in prepa ra tion for the sculptors in Italy at that time.
Columbus celebra tions of 1992 The other is a particularly
extended to the adjacent 12th- moving Penitent Madonna, by
century Chiostro di Sant’Andrea Antonio Canova (1796).
(cloister of St Andrew), all that is
left of a Benedictine monastery
that was demolished at the e San Donato
begin ning of the 20th century, Piazzetta San Donato 10. Map 5 C4.
along with many of the other Tel 010 246 88 69. Open 8am–noon,
buildings in the area.
3–7pm Mon–Sat, 9am–12:30pm,
3–7pm Sun. Closed 16–31 Aug. 8
w Museo di
Sant’Agostino The church of San Donato,
built during the 12th century,
Piazza Sarzano 35 rosso. Map 5 C5. is one of the best examples of
Tel 010 251 12 63. Open Apr–Oct: Romanesque architecture The tall, striking bell tower of
9am–6pm Tue (to 7pm Wed–Sat), in Genoa. San Donato
9:30am–7:30pm Sun; Nov–Mar: 9am– The building’s most striking
6:30pm Tue–Fri, 9:30am–6:30pm Sat feature, which is characteristic original and of particular
& Sun. 8 & 7 of early Romanesque beauty: it incorporates a Roman
∑ museidigenova.it architecture, is the splendid architrave in the moulding.
octagonal bell tower, erected On the right-hand side of the
This 13th-century over the church crossing – church, there is a shrine with a
monastic church was its three levels (the third is statue of the Madonna and Child
a lucky survivor of a 19th-century addition) (18th century). It is one of many
World War II are each pierced by erected in the Centro Storico.
bombing, which windows. The tower The charming interior has
badly damaged was chosen as a a nave and two aisles, with
Piazza Sarzano. The model by the Corinthian columns and a gallery
façade, with its designers of the of windows above – some of the
black-and-white Funeral monument of north tower of San columns are Roman.
stripes, is typically Margaret of Brabant Benigno, the so- A Madonna and Child (1401)
Ligurian, while the called “Matitone” by Nicolò da Voltri is on the altar
elegant bell tower is coated (great pencil) in the Porto in the right-hand apse and, in the
with colourful majolica tiles. Antico (see pp64–5). chapel of San Giuseppe in the
While the church functions now The façade carries some left-hand aisle, there is a beautiful
as an auditorium, the former noticeable features dating from panelled triptych by the Flemish
Augustinian monastery buildings late 19th-century alterations, painter Joos van Cleve which
that are adjacent – including when the rose window was depicts an Adoration of the Magi
the two cloisters (a triangular added, but the main doorway is (c.1515) in the central panel.
one, dating from the 14th and
15th centuries, and a rectangular,
18th-century one) – have been Contemporary Art at Villa Croce
skilfully adapted to house the Via Jacopo Ruffini 3. Tel 010
Museum. The focus of the 580 069. Open 9am–1pm Tue–
collection are the sculptures Fri, 10am–1pm Sat; temporary
brought here from sites (includ- exhibitions: 9am–6:30pm Tue–
ing demolished churches) all Fri, 10am–6:30pm Sat & Sun.
over the city, but there are also 8 & (free on Sun). - =
detached frescoes, architectural ∑ museidigenova.it
fragments and examples of Villa Croce, surrounded by palms
Genoese art from the Middle
Ages to the 18th century. The Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, in the residential district of
There are two particularly Carignano, south of the city centre, is surrounded by a large park
important sculptures in the overlooking the sea. It occupies a lovely, late 19th-century
collection. One of these is the classical-style villa, which was donated to the city by the Croce
remains of the funerary monu- family in 1951. The museum currently possesses some 3,000 works,
ment of Margaret of Brabant, which document, in particular, Italian graphic arts and abstract art
sculpted in honour of the wife from 1930 to 1980 (including work by Fontana and Licini). There
of emperor Henry VII, who died are also examples of work by young regional artists. The museum
in 1311 while visiting Genoa. promotes young talent by collecting works, organizing exhibitions
The work was sculpted in Pisa and assembl ing a digital archive of material related to local arts.
in 1313–14 by Giovanni Pisano,

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