Cattedrale di San Lorenzo ( Cathedral of St. Lawrence), Genoa (must see)

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is the most dominant church in Genoa. The religious edifice was built around 1098 and inaugurated by Pope Gelasius II in 1118. With the construction of the walls, the area around San Lorenzo became the city's heart. During medieval times, the church was the center stage of social and political life for the residents of Genoa.

After a disastrous fire in 1296, the church was rebuilt. The facade was completed in 1312. The colonnades were restored, and matron galleries were added. The construction of the cathedral finished in the 17th century. The dome and medieval portions were restored between 1894-1900.

The main facade of the cathedral has three Gothic portals with recessed arches. The lunette above the central portal has reliefs depicting Christ with Saint Lawrence. A large rose window is above the center portal. Two stone lions and two short columns flank the front stairs. Two towers of unequal height grace the front facade.

The interior has a basilica plan with a transept and choir. Three naves are divided by marble columns topped by arches with light and dark bands. Above these are smaller Romanesque arches of grey stone.

The left side chapel is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of Genoa. The chapel houses an urn with relics of the saint brought here at the end of the First Crusade.

On February 9, 1941, the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence was shot by the English battleship HMS Malaya. An armor-piercing shell penetrated a corner of the nave. The relatively soft material failed to detonate the fuse, and the shell is still there. Look for this curiosity piece when you visit the cathedral.

There is no fee to visit the cathedral, but admission is charged for a visit to its treasure museum.