Timeline of Genoa

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Genoa, Liguria, Italy.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Prior to 16th century

Genoa Cathedral was consecrated in 1118

• 5th century BC - First nucleus and oldest inhabited area around the Castello hill.^[1]
• 205 BC - The town, ally of Rome during the Second Punic War, was destroyed and sacked by the Carthaginians led by the Punic general Mago Barca, brother of Hannibal.^[2][3]
• 643 AD - Lombards take power (approximate date).
• 900 - Santa Maria di Castello built (approximate date).
• 10th century - Santuario della Madonna del Monte founded.
• 935 - Fatimid sack of Genoa
• 972 - Santo Stefano consecrated.
• 1049 - Santi Cosma e Damiano construction begins.
• 1099 - Republic of Genoa established.
• 1118 - Genoa Cathedral consecrated by Pope Gelasius II^[2]
• 1126 - San Matteo founded.^[2]
• 1133 - Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Genoa created.
• 1161 - The Knights Templar settle in Genoa in the Santa Fede church.
• 1163 - Porta Soprana, Porta dei Vacca, and Porta Aurea built (approximate date).
• 1180 - Commenda di San Giovanni di Pré established.
• 1189 - San Donato consecrated.
• 1260
  • Palazzo San Giorgio built.^[2]
  • Sant'Agostino consecrated.
• 1275 - Doge's Palace built.
• 1284 - Battle of Meloria.^[2]
• 1308 - San Bartolomeo degli Armeni founded.
• 1330 - Fortifications expanded (approximate date).^[2]
• 1339 - Simone Boccanegra appointed doge.^[2]
• 1347 - Black Death plague.
• 1354 - Public clock installed.^[4]
• 1407 - Banco di San Giorgio founded.
• 1453 - Oratory of San Giacomo della Marina built.
• 1474 - Printing press in operation (approximate date).^[5]
• 1481 - University of Genoa established.

16th-18th centuries

The current Lighthouse of Genoa was first lit in 1543

• 1520 - Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato construction begins.
• 1540 - Palazzo Bianco built.
• 1543 - Lighthouse of Genoa lit.
• 1576 - Rolli di Genova created.
• 1583
  • Strada Maggiore laid out.
  • Santa Maria Assunta, Genoa consecrated.
• 1585 - San Pietro in Banchi, Genoa built.
• 1619 - San Siro restored.
• 1624 - Basilica di Nostra Signora Assunta, Genoa built.
• 1625 - Relief of Genoa.
• 1632 - Fortifications expanded (approximate date).^[2]
• 1639 - Michele Castelli publishes the Genova (newspaper 1639–1646), the oldest newspaper of Italy
• 1642 - Alessandro Botticelli publishes the Genova (newspaper 1642–1684), later known as Il Sincero
• 1655 - Palazzo Stefano Balbi built.
• 1677 - Palazzo Rosso built.
• 1684 - Bombardment of Genoa.
• 1706 - The church of the Nostra Signora della Consolazione e San Vincenzo martire built.
• 1733 - San Torpete rebuilt.
• 1747 - Siege of Genoa.
• 1770 - Santissimo Nome di Maria e degli Angeli Custodi built.
• 1775 - Biblioteca Civica Berio (library) established.
• 1777 - The newspaper Avvisi started to be printed.
• 1794 - Giardino botanico Clelia Durazzo Grimaldi established.
• 1797 - Genoa becomes part of Ligurian Republic.

Map of Genoa, ca.1800

• 1800
  • April - Siege of Genoa.
  • April - Battle of Sassello.

19th century

Genoa State Archives, established 1817

Statue of Columbus at the Albertis Castle, built in 1892 to mark the 400th anniversary of his first voyage

• 1803 - Orto Botanico dell'Università di Genova established.
• 1814 - Revolt against France.^[2]
• 1815
  • Republic of Genoa ends.
  • Genoa incorporated into Piedmont (Kingdom of Sardinia)
• 1817 - Archivio di Stato di Genova [it] (state archives) established.^[6]
• 1824 - Corriere Mercantile newspaper begins publication.^[7]
• 1828 - Teatro Carlo Felice opens.
• 1837 - Acquasola park laid out.^[2]
• 1846 - Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini park constructed.
• 1849
  • Revolt of Genoa.
  • Santi Quirico e Giulitta renovation begins.
• 1851 - Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno established.
• 1853 - Genova Sampierdarena railway station built.
• 1857 - Società Ligure di Storia Patria [it] (history society) founded.
• 1860 - Genova Piazza Principe railway station opens.
• 1867 - Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova opens.
• 1868 - Genoa–Ventimiglia railway begins operating.
• 1870 - Banca di Genova established.
• 1871 - Population: 130,269.^[8]
• 1876 - Via di Circonvallazione a Monte laid out.^[2]
• 1879 - Yacht Club Italiano founded.
• 1887 - Via XX Settembre laid out.^[2]
• 1890 - Stazione marittima di Genova built.
• 1892
  • Albertis Castle built.
  • Congresso geografico italiano [it] holds its first conference in Genoa.
• 1893
  • Genoa Cricket and Football Club founded.
  • Garibaldi statue in Piazza De Ferrari unveiled.^[2]
• 1895 - Via di Circonvallazione a Mare laid out.^[2]
• 1897 - Population: 228,862.^[9]

20th century

The Stadio Luigi Ferraris opened in 1911 and was a venue for the 1990 FIFA World Cup

• 1905
  • Genova Brignole railway station opens.
  • Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art opens.^[10]
• 1911 - Stadio Luigi Ferraris opens as the Marassi.
• 1912 - Stock exchange built.
• 1914 - International exhibition of marine and maritime hygiene is held.
• 1915 - Corso Italia constructed.
• 1922
  • City hosts Genoa Conference.
  • Palazzo Reale opens as a public museum.^[11]
• 1936 - Museo di Archeologia Ligure founded.
• 1938 - First trolleybus system opens.
• 1940 - Terrazza Martini Tower built.
• 1946 - U.C. Sampdoria football club formed.
• 1962
  • Airport opens.
  • Genoa International Boat Show begins.
• 1966 Euroflora begins.
• 1970 - 7 October: Genoa flood of 1970 [it].
• 1973 - First trolleybus system closes.
• 1975 - Teatro della Tosse, theatre company, founded.
• 1990
  • Genoa Metro begins operating.
  • City hosts 1990 FIFA World Cup games.
• 1992
  • Aquarium opens.
  • Genoa Expo '92 held.
  • 27 September: Genoa flood of 1992
• 1993 - 23 September: Genoa flood of 1993
• 1997 - Second trolleybus system opens.
• 1999 - Deledda International School established.

21st century

• 2001 - City hosts 27th G8 summit.
• 2004
  • City designated a European Capital of Culture.
  • Galata Museo del Mare opens.
• 2010 - 4 October: Genoa Sestri Ponente flood of 2010
• 2011 - 4 November: Genoa flood of 2011
• 2012 - Marco Doria elected mayor.^[12]
• 2014 - 9-10 October: Genoa flood of 2014
• 2017 - Marco Bucci elected mayor.
• 2018
  • Euroflora, Nervi
  • Ponte Morandi bridge collapses. Marco Bucci appointed commissioner for the reconstruction of the new bridge.^[13]
• 2020 - COVID-19 pandemic - Viadotto Genova-San Giorgio rebuilt during the COVID-19 pandemic to replace the Ponte Morandi. It projected by Renzo Piano.
• 2021 - COVID-19 vaccination
• 2022
  • Euroflora, Nervi
  • Marco Bucci re-elected mayor.
  • During the first day of inauguration of the 62nd Genoa International Boat Show, on 22 September 2022, an earthquake of magnitude Mw 4.0 earthquake occurred in region: 2 km W Bargagli (Genoa), on 22-09-2022 13:39:59 (UTC) - 22-09-2022 15:39:59 (UTC +02:00) Italian time and geographic coordinates (lat, lon) 44.4390, 9.0680 at 10 km depth.^[14]
  • On 4 October 2022, an earthquake of magnitude ML 3.5 earthquake occurred in region: 2 km SW Bargagli (Genoa), on 04-10-2022 21:41:09 (UTC) - 04-10-2022 23:41:09 (UTC +02:00) Italian time and geographic coordinates (lat, lon) 44.4610, 9.0630 at 8 km depth.^[15]
• 2023
  • Genoa becomes the finish of The Ocean Race.^[16]
  • The 63rd Genoa International Boat Show
  • Genoa designated the Capitale Italiana del Libro 2023.^[17]
  • On 4 May 2023 work began on the new breakwater in Genoa^[18]
• 2024
  • Genoa designated the European Capital of Sport.
  • The 64th Genoa International Boat Show
• 2025
  • Euroflora, Waterfront di Levante
  • Silvia Salis elected mayor.
  • On 10 June 2025, Festa della Marina Militare italiana held. Conclusion of the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour 2023–2025.

See also

• History of Genoa
• List of mayors of Genoa
• Republic of Genoa (1005–1815)
• Doge of Genoa
• Dukes of Genoa (1831-1996)

Timelines of other cities in the macroregion of Northwest Italy:^(it)

• Lombardy region: Timeline of Bergamo; Brescia; Cremona; Mantua; Milan; Pavia
• Piedmont region: Timeline of Novara; Turin