Palazzo Belimbau

Palazzo Belimbau is a Renaissance palace in Genoa located at Piazza della Nunziata 2, featuring Mannerist architecture with Baroque embellishments. The interior contains frescoed rooms decorated across multiple spaces with scenes drawn from historical and mythological subjects.

Antoniotto Cattaneo built the palace in 1594, establishing an important structure for Genoa. Between 1604 and 1611, Francesco De Ferrari undertook major renovations of the building under architect Ceresola's direction.

The interior frescoes depict scenes from Cleopatra's life and Columbus's voyages, drawn from accounts written by his son Fernando. These paintings reveal the learning and worldly interests of the family who commissioned the palace.

The University of Genoa uses portions of the palace for offices and provides public access during Rolli Days and scheduled events. It is worth checking ahead about upcoming public openings since regular tours are not consistently available.

Allied bombing in 1943 caused severe damage to the palace's art collection and structure during World War Two. Major restoration work on the roof and facade was completed in 2004 to safeguard the building for future generations.

Location: Genoa

Official opening: 1594

Part of: Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli

Address: Piazza della Nunziata, 2

GPS coordinates: 44.41359,8.92817

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:24