Loggia dei Banchi (Loggia della Mercanzia)

Constructed between 1589 and 1595 under the direction of architect Andrea Cerisola, the Loggia was created to bring order to the bustling, chaotic open-air financial market that had operated in Piazza Banchi since the 12th century. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Genoa was the undisputed financial powerhouse of Europe, funding the Spanish Empire and pioneering complex financial mechanisms like bills of exchange and international credit lines. The single large vaulted space allowed traders to conduct negotiations protected from the weather. Continuing its financial legacy, in 1855 the building became the official headquarters of Italy’s very first formal grain and stock exchange (Borsa Valori).