GENOA

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 3

GENOA

" QUEEN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN " [Written by I’kilvai:i> M.,u;ke, for the 1 Evening Star.’] Tin' ancient Ligurian city that lias been hrought into prominence hy the severe baliering it has just received from tiie British Navy rejoices in the lilies of “ Queen of the Mediterraneun ” and “ Genoa the Superb.” This writer, who spent three mouths there during the last war, left little of the old and historic city unexplored. The history of Genoa is lost in the mists of antiquity. Evidence of this is revealed in a. bronze tablet in the Mnnieipio, dated 1.17 n.c., recording tile judgment of the ft Oman delegates concerning a dispute between the Genoese and the Ventrurian.s. During the Great War the Ansa Ido works at Sa mpierdarena, the “ Italian Manchester,” were going full blast, and the shipbuilding yards at Sestri Pononto rivalled its neighbour in wartime activity. These two places were the targets of the recent onslaughts of the Navy; 300 tons of shells were flung into the harbour, its buildings and environs, the cables tell ns. One speculates concerning the fate of two features of the great harbour which, next to Marseilles, is the busiest in the Mediterranean. Those are the “ Magazzini Generali,” a spacious warehouse capable of containing 150,000 tons of goods, whieii was built by an English company in 1900, and a pier named the “ Ponte Federico Guglielmo.” called alter the German Kaiser who, as the Crown Prince Frederick William, landed there in 18S3. FIRST ECHELON TO THE CRUSADES. From Sampierdareua, a few miles from Genoa city, along the waterlront, sailed the first Italians for the Holy Land in 1098. From contemporary accounts the galleys packed with Genoese made an imposing sight. On returning with a fine record of military successes the Genoese, according to tradition, brought back with them the ashes of John the Baptist. These, with other relics of the Baptist, arc in a special sanctuary in the Cathedral ot St. Lorenzo. Salome’s part in the affair of John has been visited on her sex unto tin; twentieth century, for no woman under pain of excommunication may miter the sanctuary. The Cathedral of St, Lorenzo has many historical associations. It commemorates St. Laurence, who was martyred by the Roman Emperor Valcrina. Tradition preserves St. Laurence's stoicism under the ordeal. Ho was roasted on a gridiron, and when done to a turn asked to be turned over and roasted on the other side. In this church Paganini played his violin, which is still preserved in the city of Genua.

This edifice is not far from the wharves which were batten'd. Many places of interest to Knglisli-spoaking people are clotted along the son front, At the suburb of D’Alharo is the Villa. Bambino. over which an inscription explains its significance:— “ Carlo Dickens, geniale o profondo riveltorc del seutimeuto inoderuo. 1844.”

It was in this villa that Dickens wrote ‘ The Christmas Carol.’ Later he moved to the Palazzo Perchiere, in the city, where the bells and church chimes suggested to him the title for the story on which he was engaged there, ‘ The Chimes.’ The place possessed a .pronounced fascination for the great author, and for the lesser writer, Leigh Hunt. A FRIEND OF GREECE. A few blocks away is an imposing building overlooking the Gulf of Genoa, called the Palazzo Olim Sahizzo. Over the doorway a tablet inscribed in Italian, which a member of a teaching order translated for me, indicates its English association: “ Reposing the happy life here lived and wrote Lord George Gordon Byron until the powerful cry of the Greek rising for liberty led him magnanimously to a tearful end at Missolonghi. 1822-23.” Along the Piazza close to the wharves is the .Palais do Asarto, where the Irish liberator and uncrowned King of Ireland, Daniel O'Connell, died while on his way to Rome. Dan left a curious clause in his will, two of the sub-sec-tions being carried out to the letter; one can devoutly wish the other was also acceded to. They were that his body bo left to Ireland, his heart to Rome, and his soul to God. The harbour is a splendid one. It is in the form of a semi-circle. At one end is La Lanterna (the lighthouse)', of great height, and capable of throwing its beams for an immense distance over the Mediterranean. It was built in the fifteenth century. Much of the success of the harbour is due to the munificence of a wealthy Italian, the Duke of Galleria, who died in 1876. Ho left 20.000 francs for harbour purposes. One who is conversant with the extent of the wharves, docks, and buildings can visualise a scene of destruction following the blow of the Navy. A beauti-fully-constructed road giving line vistas of the waterfront is the Cireonvallazione a Mare, a saunter along which gives one some conception of the importance of the harbour and city of Genoa. HISTORY MAY BE REPEATED. One thousand years ago Obeid, King of the Saracens.'with his valiant army from North Africa, made two descents on Genoa. This sets one speculating on the possibility of the conquering army of the Nile under General Wavell repeating the exploit when iho Italian Empire in North Africa has been shattered. Two show places seem secure from naval bombardment. One is the house where Christopher Columbus was horn, in tlie Via Dante; its size and remoteness from the waterfront should he its best protection. The other is a magnilieetit specimen of Gothic-Elorentine architecture rejoicing in the grand old Italian name of Gastello Mackenzie. Evan Mackenzie, a Scottish distiller, chose a commanding site in the Bisagno Valley overlooking the most beautiful cemetery in the world, the Campo Santo of Genoa, for a home for himself. . “ Say nothing bad of the dead is generally honoured if one observes the inscriptions on tombstones. There is an exception in Genoa. Near the ducal palace two large tablets arc erected not to the sacred memory, hut to the everlasting disgrace and eternal damnation of Ralfaele dellc Torre (1672) and Paolo Balhi (RioO)— two members of the powerful families of Genoa. On the tablets arc engraved all their sins of commission and omission, their crimes and vices. There seemed to he no inhibition covered by the Ton Commandments. their clauses and sub-clauses, that the previous Raffaele and Paolo had not fractured during their hectic careers.