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In the mid-16th century, Tobia Pallavicino tasked Galeazzo Alessi with the construction of a residence inspired by Villa Giustiniani Cambiaso in Albaro. Today, Villa Pallavicino is one of the best-preserved in the city. The interiors are decorated with the very best local productions by Giovan Battista Castello, Andrea Semino, and Luca Cambiaso.
The loggias of the facade offer a splendid view of the city and the external decorations fit extremely well with the surrounding landscape.

The elevated position means that “the Palazzo della Villa” was a visual reference point in the Genoese landscape. The structure of the garden, which has undergone several transformations over the years, is arranged on two different levels that offer spectacular wide views of the entire city. The original design is attributed to Galeazzo Alessi and it has partially changed throughout the last decades.

The sloping terraced garden, designed by Bergamasco, includes the nymphaeum with a mosaic-decorated cave.

There are also four large fishponds on the sides of the building, while a large basin was built behind it; it comes with a triton decoration in the center. Below the main building, there’s an artificial cave which is probably the most important structure in the garden. Fitted with a Doric style portico – attributed to Giovan Battista Castello – this cave contains two nymphaeums decorated with fragments of stalactites and rocks.

The surface of the cave and the vaults of the atrium, with the exception of the niches, are covered with a mosaic of oval-shaped majolica tiles, quartz, pebbles, and colored stones, corals and shells and stucco parts. The visual effect is absolutely stunning.

The plant collection of the XVI century garden has undergone changes over time and almost all the trees and shrubs that exist today date back to a period between the XIX and XX centuries. The building is currently used as the main office of an insurance company.

text source: http://www.culturainliguria.it/cultura/it/Temi/Luoghivisita/parchiGiardini.do;jsessionid=963E36D6A92C9A1ADBD797C7454FD274.node3?contentId=28720&localita=2080&area=209, source photos,. en / guide-art / genoa / to-do / monument / villa-pallavicino-of-fishponds-1024

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)