Santa Maria Maddalena, Baroque church in historic center, Genoa, Italy.

Santa Maria Maddalena is a baroque church with three naves separated by double columns and crowned by a high dome at the crossing. The interior displays structural elements from different building phases that span several centuries.

The church began as a chapel in the 1100s situated along an ancient Roman road. The building we see today took its current form after major reconstruction work finished in 1661.

The vaults and dome carry frescoes by Sebastiano Galeotti from 1729, including the Glory of Saint Mary Magdalene, while Sigismondo Betti painted the transept walls with scenes from the life of Saint Jerome Emiliani in 1737. In a chapel of the right nave, Domenico Parodi painted the Marriage and Nativity of the Virgin and the Assumption in 1712.

The church opens during regular hours and sits conveniently close to the Strada Nuova street for easy access. You can move through the interior without difficulty and observe the distinct architectural layers from different periods.

During a 1585 overhaul, the entire building was reoriented to gain better access from the Strada Nuova. This major shift in how the church faces the city is an unusual decision in religious architecture.