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106-656: Sampierdarena lies on the coast about 4 kilometres (2 miles) west of the centre of Genoa . In 2017 the population was made of 43,463 inhabitants. Sampierdarena was an ancient fishing village, named after the church of San Pietro d'Arena ("St. Peter of the Sand"). During the Italian Renaissance it became a residential area, with great palaces being built such as the Palazzo Imperiale Scassi, designed by Domenico and Giovanni Ponzello according to

212-411: A common storm track . Due to its position between the sea and mountains over 1000 meters high, each neighborhood of Genoa has specific climatic characteristics. The average yearly temperature is around 20 °C (68 °F) during the day and 14 °C (57 °F) at night. In the coldest months, the average temperature is 12 °C (54 °F) during the day and 6 °C (43 °F) at night. In

318-721: A foedus aequum (equal pact) in the course of the Second Punic War . The Carthaginians accordingly destroyed it in 209 BC. The town was rebuilt and, after the Carthaginian Wars ended in 146 BC, it received municipal rights. The original castrum then expanded towards the current areas of Santa Maria di Castello and the San Lorenzo promontory. Trade goods included skins, timber, and honey. Goods were moved to and from Genoa's hinterland, including major cities like Tortona and Piacenza . An amphitheater

424-453: A consequence of Atlantic disturbances and storms, bringing humid and warmer air from the sea. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur almost every year, albeit big amounts in the city centre are rare. Genoa often receives heavy rainfall in autumn from strong convection. Even so, the overall number of precipitation days is quite modest. There are on average 11.57 days annually with thunder, which is more common from May to October than other times of

530-602: A red cross. At the top it is inscribed with 'justice', in this manner. There was also a historiographical tradition claiming that the flag of England was derived from the Genoese flag, which derives from the Knights Templar 's red cross, during the Third Crusade in 1190; however, it cannot be substantiated as historical. The city of Genoa covers an area of 243 square kilometres (94 sq mi) between

636-552: A small centre, slowly building its merchant fleet, which was to become the leading commercial carrier of the Western Mediterranean. In 934–35 the town was thoroughly sacked and burned by a Fatimid fleet under Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Tamimi . Genoa started expanding during the First Crusade . At the time the city had a population of about 10,000. Twelve galleys , one ship and 1,200 soldiers from Genoa joined

742-792: A year later, Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica. In 1780, the Confetteria Romanengo was founded in Genoa. The direct intervention of Napoleon (during the Campaigns of 1796 ) and his representatives in Genoa was the final act that led to the fall of the Republic in early June, who overthrew the old elites which had ruled the state for all of its history, giving birth to the Ligurian Republic on 14 June 1797, under

848-675: A year. However, the Congress of Vienna established the annexation of the whole territories of the former Genoese Republic to the Kingdom of Sardinia , governed by the House of Savoy , contravening the principle of restoring the legitimate governments and monarchies of the old Republic. In the 19th century, Genoa consolidated its role as a major seaport and an important steel and shipbuilding centre. In Genoa in 1853, Giovanni Ansaldo founded Gio. Ansaldo & C. whose shipyards would build some of

954-619: Is a calque of the Latin name, from μέσος ( mésos , "in the middle") and γήινος ( gḗinos , "of the earth"), from γῆ ( gê , "land, earth"). The original meaning may have been 'the sea in the middle of the earth', rather than 'the sea enclosed by land'. Ancient Iranians called it the "Roman Sea", and in Classical Persian texts , it was called Daryāy-e Rōm (دریای روم), which may be from Middle Persian form, Zrēh ī Hrōm (𐭦𐭫𐭩𐭤 𐭩 𐭤𐭫𐭥𐭬). The Carthaginians called it

1060-611: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Genoa Genoa ( / ˈ dʒ ɛ n oʊ ə / JEN -oh-ə ; Italian : Genova [ˈdʒɛːnova] ; Ligurian : Zêna [ˈzeːna] ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria , and the sixth-largest city in Italy . In 2023, 558,745 people lived within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 813,626 inhabitants, more than 1.5 million people live in

1166-415: Is articulated in a maze of squares and narrow caruggi (typical Genoese alleys). It joins a medieval dimension with following 16th century and Baroque interventions (the ancient Via Aurea, now Via Garibaldi ). Mediterranean Sea For other countries, click here . The Mediterranean Sea ( / ˌ m ɛ d ɪ t ə ˈ r eɪ n i ən / MED -ih-tə- RAY -nee-ən ) is a sea connected to

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1272-582: Is known as al-Baḥr [al-Abyaḍ] al-Mutawassiṭ ( البحر [الأبيض] المتوسط ) 'the [White] Middle Sea'. In Islamic and older Arabic literature, it was Baḥr al-Rūm ( بحر الروم ) or al- Baḥr al-Rūmī ( بحر الرومي ) 'the Sea of the Romans' or 'the Roman Sea' or Baḥr al-šām ( بحر الشام ) or al-Baḥr al-šāmī ( البحر الشامي ) ("the Sea of Syria"). At first, that name referred only to the eastern Mediterranean, but

1378-704: Is restructured and expanded also with the works of the architect Renzo Piano . The 27th G8 summit , that took place in July 2001, was hosted in the city of Genoa; however, it was overshadowed by violent protests ( Anti-globalisation movement ), with one protester killed. In 2003, the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) was established. In 2004, the European Union designated Genoa as the European Capital of Culture for that year, along with

1484-694: The Aragonese–Genoese War , Genoa was besieged and sacked by Guillem de Cervelló. As a result of the Genoese support to the Aragonese rule in Sicily , Genoa was granted free trading and export rights in the Kingdom. Genoese bankers also profited from loans to the new nobility of Sicily. Corsica was formally annexed in 1347. In the 15th century two of the earliest banks in the world were founded in Genoa:

1590-743: The Atlantic Ocean , surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia , on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Europe , on the south by North Africa , and on the west almost by the Morocco–Spain border . The Mediterranean has played a central role in the history of Western civilization . Geological evidence indicates that around 5.9 million years ago,

1696-625: The Bank of Saint George , founded in 1407, which was the oldest state deposit bank in the world at its closure in 1805 and the Monte di Pietà of Genoa founded in 1483. Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa c.  1451, and donated one-tenth of his income from the discovery of the Americas for Spain to the Bank of Saint George in Genoa for the relief of taxation on foods. Under the ensuing economic recovery, many aristocratic Genoese families, such as

1802-514: The Black Sea . In Persian, the name was translated as Baḥr-i Safīd , which was also used in later Ottoman Turkish . Similarly, in 19th century Greek, the name was Άσπρη Θάλασσα ( áspri thálassa ; "white sea"). According to Johann Knobloch, in classical antiquity , cultures in the Levant used colours to refer to the cardinal points: black referred to the north (explaining the name Black Sea ), yellow or blue to east, red to south (e.g.,

1908-740: The Italian Lakes (Po). While the Mediterranean watershed is bordered by other river basins in Europe, it is essentially bordered by endorheic basins or deserts elsewhere. The following countries are in the Mediterranean drainage basin while not having a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea: The following countries have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea: Several other territories also border

2014-626: The Italian city-states like Amalfi and Genoa before the Crusades, according to the Cairo Geniza documents. A document dated 996 mentions Amalfian merchants living in Cairo . Another letter states that the Genoese had traded with Alexandria . The caliph al-Mustansir had allowed Amalfian merchants to reside in Jerusalem about 1060 in place of the Latin hospice . The Crusades led to

2120-674: The Ligurian Sea and the Apennine Mountains . The city stretches along the coast for about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the neighbourhood of Voltri to Nervi, and for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the coast to the north along the valleys Polcevera and Bisagno . The territory of Genoa is popularly divided into 5 main zones: the centre, the west, the east, the Polcevera and the Bisagno Valley. Although much of

2226-783: The Punic Wars in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, the Roman Republic defeated the Carthaginians to become the preeminent power in the Mediterranean. When Augustus founded the Roman Empire , the Romans referred to the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum ("Our Sea"). For the next 400 years, the Roman Empire completely controlled the Mediterranean Sea and virtually all its coastal regions from Gibraltar to

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2332-641: The Red Sea ) and white to west. That would explain the Bulgarian Byalo More , the Turkish Akdeniz , and the Arab nomenclature described above, lit. "White Sea". Major ancient civilizations were located around the Mediterranean. The sea provided routes for trade, colonization, and war, as well as food (from fishing and the gathering of other seafood) for numerous communities throughout

2438-559: The Roman Empire , Mare Nostrum ("Our Sea"). The term Mare Mediterrāneum appears later: Solinus apparently used this in the 3rd century, but the earliest extant witness to it is in the 6th century, in Isidore of Seville . It means 'in the middle of land, inland' in Latin , a compound of medius ("middle"), terra ("land, earth"), and -āneus ("having the nature of"). The modern Greek name Μεσόγειος Θάλασσα ( mesógeios ; "inland")

2544-538: The lighthouse , the oldest still-working one in the world. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Sampierdarena ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 118–119. 44°25′N 8°54′E  /  44.417°N 8.900°E  / 44.417; 8.900 [REDACTED] Media related to Sampierdarena at Wikimedia Commons This Liguria location article

2650-528: The "Syrian Sea". In ancient Syrian texts, Phoenician epics and in the Hebrew Bible , it was primarily known as the "Great Sea", הים הגדול HaYam HaGadol , ( Numbers ; Book of Joshua ; Ezekiel ) or simply as "The Sea" ( 1 Kings ). However, it has also been called the "Hinder Sea" because of its location on the west coast of the region of Syria or the Holy Land (and therefore behind a person facing

2756-449: The 11th century to 1797. Particularly from the 12th century to the 15th century, the city played a leading role in the commercial trade in Europe, becoming one of the largest naval powers of the continent and considered among the wealthiest cities in the world. It was also nicknamed la Superba ("the proud one") by Petrarch due to its glories on the seas and impressive landmarks. The city has hosted massive shipyards and steelworks since

2862-579: The 16th century and also maintained naval bases in southern France (1543–1544), Algeria and Tunisia. Barbarossa , the Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza (1538). The Battle of Djerba (1560) marked the apex of Ottoman naval domination in the eastern Mediterranean. As the naval prowess of the European powers increased, they confronted Ottoman expansion in

2968-738: The 17th century, the Genoese Republic started a period of slow decline, In May 1625 a French-Savoian army briefly laid siege to Genoa. Though it was eventually lifted with the aid of the Spanish , the French would later bombard the city in May 1684 for its support of Spain during the War of the Reunions . In-between, a plague killed as many as half of the inhabitants of Genoa in 1656–57. In 1729,

3074-529: The 18th century, losing its last Mediterranean colony, the island fortress of Tabarka , to the Bey of Tunis in 1742. The Convention of Turin of 1742, in which Austria allied with the Kingdom of Sardinia , caused some consternation in the Republic. Consequently, the Republic of Genoa signed a secret treaty with the Bourbon allies of Kingdom of France , Spanish Empire and Kingdom of Naples . On 26 June 1745,

3180-466: The 19th century, and its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages. The Bank of Saint George , founded in 1407, is the oldest known state deposit bank in the world and has played an important role in the city's prosperity since the middle of the 15th century. The historical centre , also known as old town, of Genoa is one of the largest and most-densely populated in Europe. Part of it

3286-530: The 2004 European Capital of Culture . It is the birthplace of Guglielmo Embriaco , Christopher Columbus , Andrea Doria , Niccolò Paganini , Giuseppe Mazzini , Renzo Piano and Grimaldo Canella , founder of the House of Grimaldi , among others. Genoa, which forms the southern corner of the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle of Northwest Italy , is one of the country's major economic centers. A number of leading Italian companies are based in

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3392-414: The 2024 European Capital of Sport. On March 7, 2024, Mayor Marco Bucci presented the vision of Genoa 2030, a development and urban renewal plan for Genoa to be completed in 2030. The flag of Genoa is a St. George's Cross , a red cross on a white field. The patron saint of Genoa was Saint Lawrence until at least 958, but the Genoese transferred their allegiance to Saint George (and Saint John

3498-524: The 7th century, and with it the religion of Islam , which soon swept across from the east; at its greatest extent, the Arabs, under the Umayyads , controlled most of the Mediterranean region and left a lasting footprint on its eastern and southern shores. A variety of foodstuffs, spices and crops were introduced to the western Mediterranean's Spain and Sicily during Arab rule, via the commercial networks of

3604-834: The Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar —the narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates the Iberian Peninsula in Europe from Morocco in Africa —is only 14 km (9 mi) wide. The Mediterranean Sea encompasses a vast number of islands , some of them of volcanic origin. The two largest islands, in both area and population, are Sicily and Sardinia . The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and

3710-653: The Balbi, Doria , Grimaldi , Pallavicini , and Serra, amassed tremendous fortunes. According to Felipe Fernandez-Armesto and others, the practices Genoa developed in the Mediterranean (such as chattel slavery) were crucial in the exploration and exploitation of the New World. Thereafter, Genoa underwent something of an associate of the Spanish Empire , with Genoese bankers, in particular, financing many of

3816-651: The Banca Passadore was established. In 1898 the insurance company called Alleanza Assicurazioni was founded. In 1917 Lloyd Italico insurance company was founded. From 1935 to 1940 Torre Piacentini was built in Genoa. It was one of the first skyscrapers built in Europe and, until 1954, the tallest habitable building in Italy. In 1956 Genoa took part in the Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics . In 1962 Genoa International Boat Show

3922-414: The Baptist ) at some point during the 11th or 12th century, most likely with the rising popularity of the military saint during the Crusades . Genoa also had a banner displaying a cross since at latest 1218, possibly as early as 1113. But the cross banner was not associated with the saint; indeed, the saint had his own flag, the vexillum beati Georgii (first mentioned 1198), a red flag showing George and

4028-430: The French city of Lille . In 2015, work began to secure the Genoa area, hit by the floods of 2010, 2011 and 2014, with the reconstruction and expansion of the coverage of the Bisagno stream . Furthermore, work began for the completion of the underground stream channel of the Ferreggiano river, which flooded several times in various floods, including the most tragic one in 1970. In 2017, the architect Renzo Piano donated

4134-492: The Islamic world. These include sugarcane, rice, cotton, alfalfa, oranges, lemons, apricots, spinach, eggplants, carrots, saffron and bananas. The Arabs also continued extensive cultivation and production of olive oil (the Spanish words for 'oil' and 'olive'— aceite and aceituna , respectively—are derived from the Arabic al-zait , meaning 'olive juice'), and pomegranates (the heraldic symbol of Granada) from classical Greco-Roman times. The Arab invasions disrupted

4240-411: The Levant, being the only state in history to ever do so, being given the nickname "Roman Lake". The Western Roman Empire collapsed around 476 AD. The east was again dominant as Roman power lived on in the Byzantine Empire formed in the 4th century from the eastern half of the Roman Empire . Though the Eastern Roman Empire would continue to hold almost all of the Mediterranean, another power arose in

4346-405: The Mediterranean Sea is the Nile , which takes its sources in equatorial Africa. The basin of the Nile constitutes about two-thirds of the Mediterranean drainage basin and encompasses areas as high as the Ruwenzori Mountains . Among other important rivers in Africa, are the Moulouya and the Chelif , both on the north side of the Atlas Mountains . In Asia, are the Ceyhan and Seyhan , both on

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4452-450: The Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea without ship lock, because the water level is essentially the same. The westernmost point of the Mediterranean is located at the transition from the Alborán Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar, the easternmost point is on the coast of the Gulf of Iskenderun in southeastern Turkey. The northernmost point of the Mediterranean is on the coast of the Gulf of Trieste near Monfalcone in northern Italy while

4558-411: The Mediterranean towards East Africa and Asia. This led to a preference for the Mediterranean countries and their ports like Trieste with direct connections to Central and Eastern Europe experienced a rapid economic rise. In the 20th century, the 1st and 2nd World Wars as well as the Suez Crisis and the Cold War led to a shift of trade routes to the European northern ports, which changed again towards

4664-405: The Mediterranean was cut off from the Atlantic and was partly or completely desiccated over a period of some 600,000 years during the Messinian salinity crisis before being refilled by the Zanclean flood about 5.3 million years ago. The Mediterranean Sea covers an area of about 2,500,000 km (970,000 sq mi), representing 0.7% of the global ocean surface, but its connection to

4770-595: The Municipal Council in 2007. Notable to the city are the Palazzi dei Rolli , included in UNESCO World Heritage Site Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli . The world-famous Strade Nuove are via Garibaldi (Strada Nuova), via Cairoli (Strada Nuovissima) and via Balbi (Strada Balbi). Among the most important palaces are the Palazzo Rosso , Palazzo Bianco , Palazzo Podestà o di Nicolosio Lomellino, Palazzo Reale , Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola , Palazzo Pietro Spinola di San Luca and Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria . Genoa's historic centre

4876-458: The Nicene Empire. The islands of Chios and Lesbos became commercial stations of Genoa as well as the city of Smyrna (Izmir). In the same century the Republic conquered many settlements in Crimea , known as Gazaria , where the Genoese colony of Caffa was established. The alliance with the restored Byzantine Empire increased the wealth and power of Genoa, and simultaneously decreased Venetian and Pisan commerce. The Byzantine Empire had granted

4982-441: The Philippines which drifted or were planted there by Malay seafarers before Spain came. The Spanish governor of Panama, Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera sailed west from the Americas and used Peruvians, and Genoese from Panama in his conquest of Muslim areas of the Philippines which he subjugated to the Christian Presidio of Zamboanga . Curiously, Zamboanga's Chavacano Creole language, has Italian vocabulary and cognates. From

5088-413: The Republic of Genoa allied with Michael VIII Palaiologos , emperor of Nicaea , who wanted to restore the Byzantine Empire by recapturing Constantinople . In March 1261 the treaty of the alliance was signed in Nymphaeum . On 25 July 1261, Nicaean troops under Alexios Strategopoulos recaptured Constantinople. As a result, the balance of favour tipped toward Genoa, which was granted free trade rights in

5194-438: The Republic of Genoa declared war on the Kingdom of Sardinia. This decision would prove disastrous for Genoa, which later surrendered to the Austrians in September 1746 and was briefly occupied before a revolt liberated the city two months later. The Republic of Genoa, in a weak state and not capable of suppressing the Corsican struggle for independence, was forced to cede Corsica to France in 1768 Treaty of Versailles . Only

5300-435: The Republic of Genoa must cope with the beginning of the Corsica revolution for the independence, first led by Luiggi Giafferi and Giacinto Paoli, which culminated after 26 years of struggles, costly in economic and military terms for the Republic of Genoa, in a self proclaimed Corsican Republic in 1755 under the leadership of Pasquale Paoli , son of Giacinto Paoli. The Republic of Genoa continued its slow decline well into

5406-416: The Spanish crown's foreign endeavors from their counting houses in Seville . Fernand Braudel has even called the period 1557 to 1627 the "age of the Genoese", "of a rule that was so discreet and sophisticated that historians for a long time failed to notice it" (Braudel 1984 p. 157). The Genoese bankers provided the unwieldy Habsburg system with fluid credit and a dependably regular income. In return

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5512-406: The ages. The earliest advanced civilizations in the Mediterranean were the Egyptians and the Minoans , who traded extensively with each other. Other notable civilizations that appeared somewhat later are the Hittites and other Anatolian peoples , the Phoenicians , and Mycenean Greece . Around 1200 BC the eastern Mediterranean was greatly affected by the Bronze Age Collapse , which resulted in

5618-407: The area as generic Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Basin. It does not recognize the label Sea of Sardinia . Note 2: Thracian Sea and Myrtoan Sea are seas that are part of the Aegean Sea . Note 3: The Black Sea is not considered part of it. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Mediterranean Sea as follows: Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in

5724-429: The average 2.9 of nights recorded temperatures of ≤0 °C (32 °F) (mainly in January). The coldest temperature ever recorded was −8 °C (18 °F) in February 2012; the highest temperature ever recorded during the day is 38.5 °C (101 °F) in August 2015. Average annual number of days with temperatures of ≥30 °C (86 °F) is about 8, four days in July and August. Average annual temperature of

5830-439: The city centre is located at a low elevation, the territory surrounding it is mountainous with undeveloped land usually being in steep terrain. Genoa is adjacent to two popular Ligurian vacation spots: Camogli and Portofino . In the metropolitan area of Genoa lies Aveto Natural Regional Park . Genoa has a Mediterranean climate ( Csa ) in the Köppen climate classification , with plentiful precipitation due to its location on

5936-422: The city, including Fincantieri , Leonardo , Ansaldo Energia , Ansaldo STS , Erg , Piaggio Aerospace , Mediterranean Shipping Company and Costa Cruises . The city's modern name may derive from the Latin word meaning "knee" ( genu ; plural, genua ) but there are other theories. It could derive from the god Janus , because Genoa, like him, has two faces: a face that looks at the sea and another turned to

6042-440: The city. Starting from 2021, the Mayor Marco Bucci and the President of Liguria Giovanni Toti will launch a new plan for the modernization and redevelopment of the entire city of Genoa, which has as its fulcrum Renzo Piano's Levante Waterfront project. From 23 April 2022 to 8 May 2022, Euroflora 2022 took place for the second time at the Nervi Parks. In 2023 Genoa becomes the finish of The Ocean Race . In 2024 Genoa becomes

6148-403: The collapse of the Morandi Bridge and its rapid reconstruction with a new viaduct designed by architect Renzo Piano, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic , facilitated by a redefinition of the implementing rules of public procurement, which has been defined as the Genoa model, they will then give further impetus to the construction of the Levante Waterfront, and other important works for

6254-429: The crusade. The Genoese troops, led by noblemen de Insula and Avvocato, set sail in July 1097. The Genoese fleet transported and provided naval support to the crusaders, mainly during the siege of Antioch in 1098, when the Genoese fleet blockaded the city while the troops provided support during the siege. In the siege of Jerusalem in 1099 Genoese crossbowmen led by Guglielmo Embriaco acted as support units against

6360-526: The deepest recorded point is 5,109 ± 1 m (16,762 ± 3 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea . It lies between latitudes 30° and 46° N and longitudes 6° W and 36° E . Its west–east length, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Gulf of Alexandretta , on the southeastern coast of Turkey , is about 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi). The north–south length varies greatly between different shorelines and whether only straight routes are considered. Also including longitudinal changes,

6466-475: The defenders of the city. The Republic's role as a maritime power in the Mediterranean region secured many favorable commercial treaties for Genoese merchants. They came to control a large portion of the trade of the Byzantine Empire , Tripoli (Libya), the Principality of Antioch , Cilician Armenia , and Egypt. Although Genoa maintained free-trading rights in Egypt and Syria, it lost some of its territorial possessions after Saladin's campaigns in those areas in

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6572-515: The design of the Levante Waterfront to the Municipality of Genoa; this project involves a radical transformation of the Fiera di Genova , with the creation of a new dock and an urban park, the continuation of Corso Italia towards Porta Siberia and the construction of residential structures. In 2018, the first planning and study works began for the realization of the Waterfront of Levante project. From 21 April to 6 May 2018, Euroflora 2018 took place, an exhibition of flowers and ornamental plants for

6678-512: The destruction of many cities and trade routes. The most notable Mediterranean civilizations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states and the Phoenicians , both of which extensively colonized the coastlines of the Mediterranean. Darius I of Persia , who conquered Ancient Egypt, built a canal linking the Red Sea to the Nile, and thus the Mediterranean. Darius's canal was wide enough for two triremes to pass each other with oars extended and required four days to traverse. Following

6784-418: The dragon. A depiction of this flag is shown in the Genoese annals under the year 1227. The Genoese flag with the red cross was used alongside this "Saint George's flag", from at least 1218, known as the insignia cruxata comunis Janue ("cross ensign of the commune of Genoa"). The saint's flag was the city's main war flag, but the cross flag was used alongside it in the 1240s. The Saint George 's flag (i.e.

6890-420: The east), which is sometimes translated as "Western Sea". Another name was the "Sea of the Philistines ", ( Book of Exodus ), from the people inhabiting a large portion of its shores near the Israelites . In Modern Hebrew , it is called הים התיכון HaYam HaTikhon 'the Middle Sea'. In Classic Persian texts was called Daryāy-e Šām (دریای شام) "The Western Sea" or "Syrian Sea". In Modern Standard Arabic , it

6996-443: The entire Mediterranean. Once, most of the trade between Western Europe and the East was passing through the region , but after the 1490s the development of a sea route to the Indian Ocean allowed the importation of Asian spices and other goods through the Atlantic ports of western Europe. The sea remained strategically important. British mastery of Gibraltar ensured their influence in Africa and Southwest Asia. Especially after

7102-489: The fifth century BC the first town, or oppidum , was founded probably by the ancient Ligures (which gave the name to the modern region of Liguria ) at the top of the hill today called Castello (Castle), which is now inside the medieval old town. In this period the Genoese town, inhabited by the "Genuati" (a group of Ligure peoples), was considered "the emporium of the Ligurians", given its strong commercial character. The "Genoese oppidum" had an alliance with Rome through

7208-452: The first time in the Parchi di Nervi venue, rather than in the historic venue of the Fiera di Genova . On 14 August 2018 the Ponte Morandi viaduct bridge for motor vehicles collapsed during a torrential downpour, leading to 43 deaths. The remains of the Ponte Morandi viaduct bridge were demolished in August 2019. The replacement bridge, the Genoa-Saint George Bridge , was inaugurated in August 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic . The tragedy of

7314-404: The flag depicting the saint) remained the main flag of Genoa at least until the 1280s. The flag now known as the "St. George's Cross" seems to have replaced it as Genoa's main flag at some point during the 14th century. The Book of Knowledge of All Kingdoms (c. 1385) shows it, inscribed with the word iustiçia , and described as: And the lord of this place has as his ensign a white pennant with

7420-399: The flourishing of trade between Europe and the outremer region. Genoa, Venice and Pisa created colonies in regions controlled by the Crusaders and came to control the trade with the Orient. These colonies also allowed them to trade with the Eastern world. Though the fall of the Crusader states and attempts at banning of trade relations with Muslim states by the Popes temporarily disrupted

7526-436: The immediate coastline on all sides of the Mediterranean tends to have strong maritime moderation. The sea was an important route for merchants and travellers of ancient times, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between the peoples of the region. The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. The Roman Empire maintained nautical hegemony over

7632-530: The late 12th century. The commercial and cultural rivalry of Genoa and Venice was played out through the thirteenth century. Thanks to the major role played by the Republic of Venice in the Fourth Crusade , Venetian trading rights were enforced in the eastern Mediterranean and Venice was able to gain control of a large portion of maritime commerce in the region. To regain control of local commerce,

7738-574: The less dependable shipments of American silver were rapidly transferred from Seville to Genoa, to provide capital for further ventures. Genoa's trade, however, remained closely dependent on control of Mediterranean sealanes, and the loss of Chios to the Ottoman Empire (1566), struck a severe blow. To help cope, Panama in the Americas was given as concession from the Spanish Empire to Genoa. The Genoese there encountered coconuts from

7844-742: The major ranges bordering Southern Europe. Total annual precipitation is significantly higher on the European part of the Mediterranean basin, especially near the Alps (the 'water tower of Europe') and other high mountain ranges. As a consequence, the river discharges of the Rhône and Po are similar to that of the Nile, despite the latter having a much larger basin. These are the only three rivers with an average discharge of over 1,000 m /s (35,000 cu ft/s). Among large natural fresh bodies of water are Lake Victoria (Nile basin), Lake Geneva (Rhône), and

7950-446: The majority of free trading rights to Genoa. Around the 14th century, Genoa was also credited with the invention of blue jeans . Genoa's jean fabric was a fustian textile of "medium quality and of reasonable cost", very similar to cotton corduroy for which Genoa was famous, and was "used for work clothes in general". The Genoese navy equipped its sailors with jeans, as they needed a fabric which could be worn wet or dry. During

8056-469: The migrants and arrest the traffickers of immigrants. In 2015, more than one million migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. Italy was particularly affected by the European migrant crisis . Since 2013, over 700,000 migrants have landed in Italy, mainly sub-Saharan Africans. The Mediterranean Sea connects: The 163 km (101 mi) long artificial Suez Canal in the southeast connects

8162-602: The most beautiful ships in the world, such as ARA Garibaldi , SS Roma , MS  Augustus , SS Rex , SS Andrea Doria , SS Cristoforo Colombo , MS Gripsholm , SS Leonardo da Vinci , SS Michelangelo , and SS SeaBreeze . In 1854, the ferry company Costa Crociere was founded. In 1861 the Registro Italiano Navale Italian register of shipping was created, and in 1879 the Yacht Club Italiano . The owner Raffaele Rubattino in 1881

8268-643: The mountains. Or it could come from the Latin word ianua , also related to the name of the God Janus, and meaning "door", or "passage." Besides that, it may refer to its geographical position at the centre of the Ligurian coastal arch. The Latin name, oppidum Genua , is recorded by Pliny the Elder ( Nat. Hist. 3.48) as part of the Augustean Regio IX Liguria . Another theory traces

8374-457: The name to the Etruscan word Kainua which means "New City", based on an inscription on a pottery sherd reading Kainua , which suggests that the Latin name may be a corruption of an older Etruscan one with an original meaning of "new town". The city's area has been inhabited since the fifth or fourth millennium BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In

8480-490: The naval battles of Abukir (1799, Battle of the Nile ) and Trafalgar (1805), the British had for a long time strengthened their dominance in the Mediterranean. Wars included Naval warfare in the Mediterranean during World War I and Mediterranean theatre of World War II . With the opening of the lockless Suez Canal in 1869, the flow of trade between Europe and Asia changed fundamentally. The fastest route now led through

8586-464: The neighbourhood of San Teodoro. The 'Samp' in the name of Genoese football club U.C. Sampdoria (and the unique striped bands across the kit) derives from local team Ginnastica Sampierdarenese, which merged with Società Andrea Doria in 1946. Historically the area was dominated by heavy industry such as shipbuilding. At the border to the San Teodoro district, there stands the symbol of Genoa,

8692-428: The number of drowned refugees in the region as a direct result of the policies. An Azerbaijani official described the sea as "a burial ground ... where people die". Following the 2013 Lampedusa migrant shipwreck , the Italian government decided to strengthen the national system for the patrolling of the Mediterranean Sea by authorising " Operation Mare Nostrum ", a military and humanitarian mission in order to rescue

8798-613: The region when the Battle of Lepanto (1571) checked the power of the Ottoman Navy . This was the last naval battle to be fought primarily between galleys . The Barbary pirates of Northwest Africa preyed on Christian shipping and coastlines in the Western Mediterranean Sea. According to Robert Davis, from the 16th to 19th centuries, pirates captured 1 million to 1.25 million Europeans as slaves. The development of oceanic shipping began to affect

8904-468: The sea for centuries and is the only state to have ever controlled all of its coast. The countries surrounding the Mediterranean and its marginal seas in clockwise order are Spain , France , Monaco , Italy , Slovenia , Croatia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Montenegro , Albania , Greece , Turkey , Syria , Lebanon , Israel , Palestine ( Gaza Strip ), Egypt , Libya , Tunisia , Algeria , and Morocco ; Cyprus and Malta are island countries in

9010-589: The sea is 17.5 °C (64 °F), from 13 °C (55 °F) in the period January–March to 25 °C (77 °F) in August. In the period from June to October, the average sea temperature exceeds 19 °C (66 °F). Genoa is also a windy city, especially during winter when northern winds often bring cool air from the Po Valley (usually accompanied by lower temperatures, high pressure and clear skies). Another typical wind blows from southeast , mostly as

9116-667: The sea. In addition, Northern Cyprus ( de facto state ) and two overseas territories of the United Kingdom ( Akrotiri and Dhekelia , and Gibraltar ) also have coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea. The drainage basin encompasses a large number of other countries, the Nile being the longest river ending in the Mediterranean Sea. The Ancient Egyptians called the Mediterranean Wadj-wr/Wadj-Wer/Wadj-Ur. This term (literally "great green")

9222-526: The shortest shipping route between the multinational Gulf of Trieste and the Libyan coastline of the Gulf of Sidra is about 1,900 kilometres (1,200 mi). The water temperatures are mild in winter and warm in summer and give name to the Mediterranean climate type due to the majority of precipitation falling in the cooler months. Its southern and eastern coastlines are lined with hot deserts not far inland, but

9328-736: The south side of the Taurus Mountains . In Europe, the largest basins are those of the Rhône , Ebro , Po , and Maritsa . The basin of the Rhône is the largest and extends up as far north as the Jura Mountains , encompassing areas even on the north side of the Alps . The basins of the Ebro, Po, and Maritsa, are respectively south of the Pyrenees , Alps, and Balkan Mountains , which are

9434-584: The southern ports through European integration, the activation of the Silk Road and free world trade. In 2013, the Maltese president described the Mediterranean Sea as a "cemetery" due to the large number of migrants who drowned there after their boats capsized. European Parliament president Martin Schulz said in 2014 that Europe's migration policy "turned the Mediterranean into a graveyard", referring to

9540-599: The southernmost point is on the coast of the Gulf of Sidra near the Libyan town of El Agheila . Large islands in the Mediterranean include: The Alpine arc , which also has a great meteorological impact on the Mediterranean area, touches the Mediterranean in the west in the area around Nice . The typical Mediterranean climate has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Crops of the region include olives , grapes , oranges , tangerines , carobs and cork . The Mediterranean Sea includes 15 marginal seas : Note 1: The International Hydrographic Organization defines

9646-526: The style of Galeazzo Alessi and for this reason believed in the past to be a work of Alessi himself and the Palazzo Spinola di San Pietro (whose designer is unknown), one of those drawn by the painter Peter Paul Rubens in the book Palazzi di Genova , published in Antwerp in 1622. After the coming of the railways (1854) it became one of the great industrial centres of Italy. Gio. Ansaldo & C.

9752-660: The term was later extended to the whole Mediterranean, it was also called Baḥr al-Maghrib ( بحر المغرب ) ("the Sea of the West"). A name that was used mainly for the western basin. In Turkish , it is the Akdeniz 'the White Sea'; in Ottoman, ﺁق دڭيز , which sometimes means only the Aegean Sea . The origin of the name is not clear, as it is not known in earlier Greek, Byzantine or Islamic sources. It may be to contrast with

9858-672: The trade in western Europe and brought it to a halt. However, the Norsemen developed the trade from Norway to the White Sea , while also trading in luxury goods from Spain and the Mediterranean. The Byzantines in the mid-8th century retook control of the area around the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean. Venetian ships from the 9th century armed themselves to counter the harassment by Arabs while concentrating trade of Asian goods in Venice. The Fatimids maintained trade relations with

9964-600: The trade relations between Western and Eastern Europe while disrupting trade routes with Eastern Asian Empires. This, however, had the indirect effect of promoting trade across the Caspian Sea . The export of grains from Egypt was re-routed towards the Eastern world . Products from East Asian empires, like silk and spices, were carried from Egypt under the Arab rule to ports like Venice and Constantinople by sailors and Jewish merchants. The Viking raids further disrupted

10070-702: The trade with the Orient, it however continued. Europe started to revive, however, as more organized and centralized states began to form in the later Middle Ages after the Renaissance of the 12th century . Ottoman power based in Anatolia continued to grow, and in 1453 extinguished the Byzantine Empire with the Conquest of Constantinople . Ottomans gained control of much of the eastern part sea in

10176-463: The warmest months – July and August – the average temperature is 28 °C (82 °F) during the day and 22 °C (72 °F) at night. The daily temperature range is limited, with an average range of about 6 °C (11 °F) between high and low temperatures. Genoa also sees significant moderation from the sea, in stark contrast to areas behind the Ligurian mountains such as Parma , where summers are hotter and winters are quite cold. Annually,

10282-602: The watchful care of Napoleonic France. After Bonaparte's seizure of power in France, a more conservative constitution was enacted, but the Ligurian Republic's life was short—in 1805 it was annexed by France, becoming the départements of Apennins , Gênes , and Montenotte . Following the fall of Napoleon, Genoa regained ephemeral independence, with the name of the Repubblica genovese , which lasted less than

10388-657: The west to the entrances to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal in the east, the Mediterranean Sea is bounded by the coasts of Europe, Africa, and Asia and is divided into two deep basins: The drainage basin of the Mediterranean Sea is particularly heterogeneous and extends much further than the Mediterranean region. Its size has been estimated between 4,000,000 and 5,500,000 km (1,500,000 and 2,100,000 sq mi), depending on whether non-active parts (deserts) are included or not. The longest river ending in

10494-481: The wider metropolitan area stretching along the Italian Riviera . On the Gulf of Genoa in the Ligurian Sea , Genoa has historically been one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean : it is currently the busiest in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea and twelfth-busiest in the European Union . Genoa was the capital of one of the most powerful maritime republics for over seven centuries, from

10600-540: The year. Annual average relative humidity is 68%, ranging from 63% in February to 73% in May. Sunshine hours total above 2,200 per year, from an average 4 hours of sunshine duration per day in winter to average 9 hours in summer. The Municipal Council of Genoa is currently led by a right-wing majority, elected in June 2022. The city of Genoa is subdivided into nine municipi (administrative districts), as approved by

10706-767: Was also found there among other archaeological remains from the Roman period. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire , the Ostrogoths occupied Genoa. After the Gothic War , the Byzantines made it the seat of their vicar . When the Lombards invaded Italy in 568, Bishop Honoratus of Milan fled and held his seat in Genoa. During this time and in the following century Genoa was little more than

10812-654: Was also inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006 as Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli . Genoa's historical city centre is also known for its narrow lanes and streets that the locals call "caruggi". Genoa is also home to the University of Genoa , which has a history going back to the 15th century, when it was known as Genuense Athenaeum. The city's rich cultural history in art , music and cuisine allowed it to become

10918-590: Was among the founders of the ferry company Navigazione Generale Italiana which then become the Italian Line . In 1870 Banca di Genova was founded which in 1895 changed its name to Credito Italiano and in 1998 became Unicredit . In 1874 the city was completely connected by railway lines to France and the rest of Italy: Genoa-Turin , Genoa-Ventimiglia , Genoa-Pisa . In 1884 Rinaldo Piaggio founded Piaggio & C. that produced locomotives and railway carriages and then in 1923 began aircraft production. In 1888

11024-640: Was established. In 1966 Euroflora was established. In 1970 Genoa was hit by a serious flood, which caused the Bisagno stream to overflow. In 1987 the Banco di San Giorgio was established. In 1992 Genoa celebrated the Colombiadi or Genoa Expo '92 , the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the American Continent by Christopher Columbus . The area of the ancient port of Genoa

11130-447: Was one of the leading companies of the area involved in shipbuilding and armaments, building the first locomotive in Italy, named Sampierdarena , before it was finally taken over by Finmeccanica in 1993. In 1926 the comune of Sampierdarena was absorbed by Greater Genoa , becoming in 1969 a delegazione , and in 1978 a circoscrizione of the city. At present it is part of the Genoa's city Municipio II (Centro Ovest), together with

11236-734: Was the name given by the Ancient Egyptians to the semi-solid, semi-aquatic region characterized by papyrus forests to the north of the cultivated Nile delta, and, by extension, the sea beyond. The Ancient Greeks called the Mediterranean simply ἡ θάλασσα ( hē thálassa ; "the Sea") or sometimes ἡ μεγάλη θάλασσα ( hē megálē thálassa ; "the Great Sea"), ἡ ἡμετέρα θάλασσα ( hē hēmetérā thálassa ; "Our Sea"), or ἡ θάλασσα ἡ καθ’ ἡμᾶς ( hē thálassa hē kath’hēmâs ; "the sea around us"). The Romans called it Mare Magnum ("Great Sea") or Mare Internum ("Internal Sea") and, starting with

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