Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola, Renaissance palace in Via Garibaldi, Genoa, Italy.

Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola stands at Via Garibaldi 5 in Genoa, built from 1558 to a design by Giovanni Ponzello. Its facade, with window frames bearing satirical masks and pairs of winged genii, carries faded frescoes by the Calvi brothers, possibly with Lazzaro Tavarone. On the first floor, painted Roman emperors such as Nero and Claudius sit on high bases with prisoners at their feet.

Angelo Giovanni Spinola, Genoa's ambassador to Spain and banker to Emperor Charles V in Toledo, commissioned the palace in 1558 from architect Giovanni Ponzello. His son Giulio, a veteran of Lepanto and the capture of Lisbon, completed it in 1576 and around 1580 had part of the rear hill cut away to enlarge the courtyard and garden. Sold in 1919 to Crédit Commercial de France, it passed in 1926 to the Banca d'America e d'Italia and now belongs to Deutsche Bank.

The walls display frescoes by the Calvi brothers showing members of House Spinola dressed as Roman commanders, alongside works by Andrea Semino. These images tell the story of the family's importance in the city and their desire to connect themselves with ancient power.

Deutsche Bank currently owns the palace, allowing visitors to explore certain sections of the building. It is wise to check ahead to learn which rooms are open and when you can visit them.

A fresco attributed to Andrea Semino preserves the palace as it looked from the hillside in its early years. It records the "building on a slope" method used by the architects of Strada Nuova, who overcame the steep terrain with monumental internal staircases and terraced gardens.