What historic trade gave the surrounding Piazza di Pellicceria its name?
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Landmarks
Genoa · Landmark
Palazzo di Francesco Grimaldi (Palazzo Spinola)
Hidden in the narrow Piazza di Pellicceria (the historic fur traders' square) lies the dazzling Palazzo Spinola. If you want to experience exactly how Genoese aristocrats lived at the height of luxury, step inside. The palace remains preserved as a fully furnished private home, complete with original gilded furniture, Venetian chandeliers, an epic Hall of Mirrors, and paintings by Antonello da Messina and Rubens.
monumentPaid · 2-6€
Palazzo Spinola National Gallery — Piazza di Pellicceria 1, 16123 Genoa, Italy
History
Constructed in 1593 for Francesco Grimaldi, the palace passed through four of Genoa's most powerful dynasties—Grimaldi, Pallavicino, Doria, and Spinola. Each family added layers of interior luxury: in the 1730s, Maddalena Doria commissioned a spectacular baroque Hall of Mirrors designed to rival Versailles, along with frescoed ceilings painted by Sebastiano Galeotti. In 1958, Marquis Paolo and Franco Spinola made a historic gift to the Italian nation, donating the entire palace with its original historic furniture, porcelain, tapestries, and masterwork art gallery completely intact, under the strict condition that it maintain the warm atmosphere of a real lived-in aristocratic residence rather than a cold, stripped-down museum hall.
Quests
Answer to earn XP. One attempt per quest.
Which famous French royal palace inspired the 18th-century Hall of Mirrors inside?
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In what unique condition was Palazzo Spinola donated to the Italian state in 1958?
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