Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato

Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is a beautiful church in Genoa, located in Piazza della Nunziata, in the Prè district. The building is one of the most representative churches of the Genoese art of the late Mannerism and early Baroque of the 17th century.

SHORT HISTORY

In 1228, a community of Humiliati friars from Lombardy built on this place a convent and a small church dedicated to Santa Maria del Prato.

In 1508, the convent and the church were assigned to the Conventual Franciscan friars from the Convent of San Francesco di Castelletto. The Franciscans started a new construction, better suited for their liturgical needs.

Work began on July 20, 1520, when the first stone was laid. The church was built in late Gothic style to respect the artistic style of the mother church of the Franciscan Order, the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi.

In 1537, the Conventuals left the church to return to the Convent of San Francesco di Castelletto, and the church passed to the Observant Franciscan friars, forced to leave the Convent of the Santissima Annunziata di Portoria.

Following the dictates of the Council of Trent, the basilica was radically transformed beginning with 1591. The renovation works were funded by the wealthy Lomellini family.

The Lomellini family commissioned Taddeo Carlone to make the first architectural adjustments: the lengthening of the presbytery with the construction of the apse, and the replacement of the lantern with a dome.

Starting with 1615, the construction site was directed by Giovanni Domenico Casella. He realized the interior decoration of the church with marble, stone, stucco and gold, helped by the painters Giovanni Carlone and Giovanni Battista Carlone.

The Neoclassical facade characterized by the grandiose pronaos with six columns in Ionic style, was built in 1867 after a project by Carlo Barabino from 1834.

During the Second World War, the church was severely damaged by bombing.

HOW TO GET THERE

The church is located about 650 meters from the Genova Piazza Principe train station. The closest Metro stop is Darsena, located about 220 meters away. The closest bus stop is Nunziata, located right in front of the church, on the bus Lines 18, 20, 34, 35, 39, 40, 618, 634, 635, 640 and 641. To find the church on foot, use the map below.