SANTO STEFANO
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One of the most remarkable examples of Romanesque architecture in Genoa.
Built between the 10th and 13th centuries by the Benedictines to evangelize the eastern part of the city, Santo Stefano is one of Genoa's most outstanding examples of Romanesque architecture.
With a single nave and circular apse, the building features the double-sloped facade typical of13th-century Ligurian churches. The upper part is crowned with Lombard bands. The facade features the bichrome marble and slate banded cladding typical of the region's churches. The coats of arms of the families who contributed financially to the construction are engraved in slight relief on some of the marble slabs. The single ogee portal is decorated with finely sculpted columns and Corinthian capitals. On the left-hand side, a section of the building shows successive additions, serving as sacristy and living quarters for parish officials.
Inside, the presbytery is raised above the crypt, the only vestige of a pre-existing chapel dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel. Here, the baptismal font in which Christopher Columbus is said to have been baptized is preserved. Among the masterpieces decorating the nave, note the Martyrdom of Santo Stefano (1524), one of Giulio Romano's most famous canvases. Without detracting from the façade, it's from the rear that the church is at its most beautiful. On the Viale IV Novembre side, a grand staircase leads up from the street to the apse, allowing you to fully appreciate its beauty and architectural finesse.
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