Entrepôts de coton, Historical warehouses in Old Port, Italy

The Magazzini del Cotone consists of a north building begun in 1889 and completed in 1901, measuring 310.8 by 30 metres over four floors (18.82 metres high) divided into nine compartments, and a south building added in 1926, three floors and 9,650 square metres, built as a cotton depot. Three metal bridges link the two, and 13 electric cranes served them.

Construction of the northern building began in December 1889 and finished in 1901, marking an era of modernization for Genoa's port. These warehouses were central to the city's growing trade activity and technological advancement at that time.

The south building, added in 1926, gave the complex its name: it served as a depot for cotton unloaded from ships at the port. The congress centre occupies the last six modules of the warehouses, with 12 rooms named after the points of the compass, including the 1,480-seat Auditorium split into the Maestrale and Grecale halls.

Visitors can access the Children's City educational space on the upper floor, where instructors organize activities for young participants throughout the day. The complex offers multiple facilities, so it helps to take time exploring the areas that interest you most.

The south building, added in 1926 by the Società anonima Magazzini Generali, was designed from the start as a cotton depot, which gave the complex its name. It stands three floors high over 9,650 square metres, while the north building covers 310.8 by 30 metres across four floors and nine compartments.