One of the most remarkable historical gardens at both the local and national levels is the romantic park of the Villa Durazzo Pallavicini.
It was built at the behest of Ignazio Alessandro Pallavicini, who commissioned its design and realisation to Michele Canzio, stage designer of the Carlo Felice theatre and Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts.
The works carried out between 1840 and 1846 completed what today is regarded as one of the highest expressions of 19th-century romantic gardens, masterfully interpreted through the theatrical experience of Michele Canzio, who managed to compose an inspirational melodramatic journey, by means of a drama in three acts, plus an introductory prologue and a playful epilogue.
Visitors can thus “travel” through avenues surrounded by neoclassical, neo-Gothic and rustic architecture, flanked by palm trees and exotic plants, as well as oaks and laurels.
Worth highlighting is the beautiful set of the Lago Grande, a cathartic image of Paradise, which can be reached after visiting the caves: here, Canzio’s theatrical experience finds its full expression, with temples and bridges overlooking the lake.
Alongside the numerous sculptures attributed mostly to G. B. Cevasco, there are many plant species remarkable for age, rarity and height. These include camphor and the century-old camellia avenue.
Despite aggressive urbanisation and industrialisation, the Villa Durazzo Pallavicini still remains one of the best examples of “noble villas”, which in past centuries were the tradition of the powerful Genoese aristocratic families, nowadays still enriching the history and culture of the city of Genoa.