Palazzo Doria Spinola, Renaissance palace in central Genoa, Italy

Palazzo Doria Spinola is a Renaissance city palace in Genoa, built on four stories around a series of internal courtyards. The interior rooms feature decorated staircases and furnishings from different periods, along with art collections that visitors can explore.

The palace was built in the 16th century for the Doria family, one of the most powerful noble families in Genoa at that time. Ownership later passed to the Spinola family, which is why the building carries both names today.

The palace is not a museum: it houses the Prefecture and the Metropolitan City of Genoa, and its representative spaces can be visited. The name recalls the Doria, who built it, and the Spinola, who owned it from 1624 to the 19th century. The Rolli system obliged selected private palaces to host state visitors, chosen by public lottery.

The palace sits in the heart of Genoa's old city center and is easy to reach on foot from most central points. Visitors can explore the rooms on their own or join a guided tour, and comfortable shoes are a good idea given the number of staircases.

The palace was one of 163 Palazzi dei Rolli, the official lists of private residences whose owners, chosen by public lottery, had to host state visitors for the Republic of Genoa. On 13 July 2006 it became one of the 42 Rolli palaces inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.