Genoa Cathedral

Genoa Cathedral, formally the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, is the Roman Catholic cathedral of Genoa in the Liguria region of Italy, occupying a prominent position in the city’s historic centre. It dates largely to medieval phases of construction and combines Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements.

Notable features include a striped black-and-white marble façade, a tall bell tower, and a plan that incorporates several chapels and a crypt. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and has been an important religious centre for the city for many centuries.

The building also claims important relics and houses a treasury of liturgical objects and artworks collected over centuries. Interior spaces contain frescoes, altars and chapels that reflect Genoa’s medieval and Renaissance religious patronage.

The cathedral stands in Piazza San Lorenzo in central Genoa and is surrounded by the narrow streets of the medieval old town, making it highly accessible to visitors exploring the city’s historic core.

• Identity and location: Officially named Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and located in Piazza San Lorenzo in Genoa's historic center; it is the city's principal cathedral.
• Facade: The exterior features distinctive black-and-white striped marble banding typical of Ligurian Romanesque and Gothic churches.

What to See #

• Chapel of St. John: A chapel housing the relics of John the Baptist, and formerly a focus of pilgrimage and relic veneration within the cathedral complex.
• Cathedral treasury: A historical treasury and collection of religious artifacts and artworks associated with the cathedral, displayed for visitors and worshippers.