Genoa Cathedral Church

Address: Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, Piazza San Lorenzo, 16123 Genova GE, Italy

Website: https://www.cattedralesanlorenzo.it

Hours: Typically daily 9:00am-12:30pm and 3:00pm-6:00pm (times may vary)

Admission: Free (entry to the cathedral is free; some chapels and tower visits may request a donation)

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.

The cathedral is in Genoa’s historic centre near Piazza De Ferrari. From Genova Piazza Principe or Genova Brignole train stations it’s a 10-20 minute walk; several city buses stop nearby.

• Attend Evensong or a service to hear the acoustics-the choir and organ resonate in the striped black-and-white marble interior.
• Look for the Chapel of St. John the Baptist and the cathedral's medieval baptistry with its ancient sarcophagi.
• The cathedral sits near Piazza De Ferrari and is a convenient stop while exploring Genoa's historic center; watch for pickpockets in crowded areas.