How a Genoese banker’s tax-collecting fortune built a masterpiece of architectural ambiguity
In short: Commissioned by a financier who grew wealthy managing taxes in Spain, the Palazzo Gerolamo Grimaldi defies simple classification. It exists as both a city residence and a suburban villa, a dual identity that marks a hidden turning point in the evolution of Renaissance architecture in Genoa.
Constructed between 1536 and 1544 by Gerolamo Grimaldi Oliva, the palace was originally situated on a steep, sparsely developed slope. The building’s design was uniquely ambitious for its time, featuring a complex interplay of internal loggias, gardens, and water features. The architect Joseph Fürttenbach famously praised its layout, which utilized perspective to frame a western garden complete with a nymphaeum and mechanical automata. This original structure, which prioritized the relationship between open and covered spaces, was documented in Peter Paul Rubens’ 1652 publication, Palazzi di Genova.
The palace underwent radical transformations over the centuries. In 1697, the central loggia was enclosed to create an atrium, and the late 18th-century construction of Via Cairoli necessitated the removal of the lower garden. This project, led by Giacomo Brusco between 1778 and 1786, added a terrace and a prominent sundial to the south façade, earning the building its current name, Palazzo della Meridiana. Further changes occurred in the early 20th century when Gino Coppedè adapted the site for office use, adding a stained-glass skylight and Neo-Renaissance decorations by Nicola Mascialino.
Despite these modifications, the palace retains significant artistic treasures. The north façade still displays 16th-century frescoes of the Labours of Hercules, attributed to Aurelio Busso. Inside, the rooms feature works by masters such as Luca Cambiaso, Giovanni Battista Castello, and Lazzaro Calvi, commissioned by the founder’s son, Giovanni Battista Grimaldi. In 2006, the palace was recognized as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site comprising the Rolli di Genova, cementing its status as a vital piece of architectural history that bridges the gap between the private villa and the urban palace.
The building’s history reflects the shifting fortunes of its owners, from the Grimaldi Oliva family to Paolo Sebastiano Odero in 1835, and later to the Mackenzie family. It has served various roles, including a hospital for officers during the First World War and a home for the Genoa Conservatory in the 1960s. Today, it stands as a testament to a unique architectural lineage that remains under-researched, holding the secret origins of a renovation style that few have fully identified.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Palazzo Gerolamo Grimaldi
- Also: Wikidata — Palazzo Gerolamo Grimaldi · CC0
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