Palazzi dei Rolli, Renaissance palaces system in Genoa, Italy
The Palazzi dei Rolli are a collection of more than forty Renaissance and Baroque palaces scattered through Genoa's old center, adorned with marble ornaments and rooms decorated with frescoes. Many of these buildings now function as museums, while others remain residences or serve as offices today.
The Senate of Genoa created an official list of these palaces in 1576 to ensure that important visitors and dignitaries could be accommodated in appropriate style. This rule turned the buildings into a system of civic representation that was maintained for centuries.
The palaces show how wealthy families furnished their homes with artwork and furnishings spanning different periods to display their riches and refined taste. Today visitors can still see rooms in some buildings with original period interiors and paintings that reflect the daily life of Genoa's upper class.
Many of the palaces line Via Garibaldi and are easy to explore on foot, with some open to the public as museums. Plan extra time to visit several buildings and see their different interiors, as some are only accessible at certain times.
The Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens visited Genoa and made detailed drawings of these palaces, which he later published. His work spread across Europe and influenced how wealthy families elsewhere designed their own homes.
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