Palazzo Belimbau

Lore & Background

The palace was initially built by Antoniotto Cattaneo, a member of the old Genoese nobility, who completed construction in 1594. It later became the property of Francesco De Ferrari, who with his wife Delia Giustiniani, between 1604 and 1611, probably entrusting the work to the architect Ceresola known as Andrea Vannone, renovated it and united it with another of his adjoining residences, giving the building its present architectural and volumetric consistency. In the first decade of the 17th century, the family commissioned Lazzaro Tavarone to decorate the palace with a vast pictorial cycle with a historical-celebratory theme, deployed on the walls and vault of the vestibule, the grand staircase, and various rooms on the piano nobile. The frescoes in the entrance vestibule are dedicated to the life of Cleopatra, while the monumental hall features frescoes of Christopher Columbus's exploits, taken from the Historie della vita e dei fatti di Cristoforo Colombo by Fernando Colombo.

Reader's Guide

Palazzo Belimbau is significant as one of the 42 Rolli palaces that collectively earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2006, representing the architectural and artistic heritage of Genoa's historic nobility. Its fresco cycles by Lazzaro Tavarone, a pupil of Luca Cambiaso, are among the most extensive in the city, blending late Mannerist grotesque decorations with historical-celebratory themes that allude to the social ascent of its commissioner, Francesco De Ferrari. The palace also reflects the layered history of Genoa: it passed through the Chiavari, Cambiaso, and Negrotto Cambiaso families, served as the residence of Pope Pius VII in 1815, and was donated to the University of Genoa in the late 20th century. Despite damage from Allied bombings in October 1943 and decades of neglect, restoration work on the roof and façade was completed in 2004. The building now houses university offices and is periodically open to the public during the Rolli Days event, preserving its legacy as a cultural and educational asset.

Did You Know?

• The palace was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list on 13 July 2006 as part of the Rolli di Genova.
• The fresco cycle in the monumental hall depicts the exploits of Christopher Columbus, based on a book by his son Fernando Columbus published in 1571.
• In 1815, the palace hosted Pope Pius VII as he passed through Genoa on his return to Rome after the Congress of Vienna, following his captivity under Napoleon.
• The palace was donated to the University of Genoa by the widow of the last Belimbau heir, with a clause preventing sale until her death in September 2007.