Savona's Slate Portals: Hidden Treasures of the Historic Center
Savona's historic center preserves an exceptionally valuable artistic and architectural heritage, a direct testimony to a golden age in Ligurian history. Wandering through the medieval alleys, the element that most captivates visitors is the presence of the monumental slate portals .
These architectural elements were not simply decorations, but true symbols of prestige. During the Renaissance, the great patrician families of Savona competed to decorate the entrances to their homes, thus celebrating their social and economic rise.
History: The Influence of the Della Rovere Popes in Savona
To understand the richness of these works of art, we must travel back in time to the 15th and 16th centuries. During this period, Savona experienced a moment of extraordinary cultural splendor, led by the ascension to the papal throne of two illustrious citizens of the della Rovere dynasty: Pope Sixtus IV and his nephew, Pope Julius II .
The influence of the papal court and renewed contacts with Italy's great artistic centers led to a veritable building boom in Savona. Local nobles hired the finest stonemasons, mainly from the nearby Ligurian hinterland and Ticino, to transform the facades of their palaces using Promontory stone and marble. Slate portals became the calling card of this new, cultured, and ambitious ruling class.
The architecture of the portals and the Trigram of Christ
From an artistic point of view, the portals of Savona stand out for their masterful use of slate , the typical Ligurian "black stone", perfect for being sculpted with meticulous precision.
The decorations reflect the classical themes of Renaissance humanism, but with profound religious and political undertones. Examining the architraves and jambs, you'll notice:
The Trigram of Christ (YHS): Introduced by the preaching of St. Bernardine of Siena, it is a recurring element placed in the center of the architraves to protect the house and its inhabitants.
Heraldic Coats of Arms: The coats of arms of the noble families who commissioned them, often chiselled away in later periods (during the democratic and Jacobin dominations), of which today fascinating empty silhouettes remain.
Military and Mythological Motifs: Depictions of ancient weapons, foliage, profiles of Roman emperors, and allegorical scenes celebrating the virtues of the palace's owner.
A splendid and imposing example of this architecture is represented by the portal of Palazzo Gavotti , currently home to the Pinacoteca Civica of Savona, which displays the perfect fusion between the medieval structure and Renaissance elegance.
Walking tour of Via Pia: where to find them
If you'd like to discover these masterpieces on foot through the center of Savona, your essential stop is Via Pia , the ancient commercial hub of the old city (the Caruggiu d'u CTR ). This narrow pedestrian street boasts the highest concentration of monumental portals in all of Liguria.
The must-see houses in Via Pia
Start your walk from the Torretta in Piazza Leon Pancaldo and enter the alleyways following these steps:
Via Pia, Civico 1: Here you can admire one of the oldest portals, characterised by jambs decorated with geometric motifs and an architrave bearing the monogram of Christ surrounded by a crown of thorns.
Via Pia, Civico 22: A masterpiece of the early sixteenth century, with fluted columns and a rich frieze of classical Roman inspiration.
Via Pia, Civico 26: Home to an ancient noble palace, it features a portal with anthropomorphic figures and very fine, almost plastic, floral details that seem to emerge from the black stone.
This cultural itinerary through the historic streets requires about 45 minutes of slow walking and is perfect to combine with a visit to the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption and the famous Sistine Chapel of Savona , the only one existing besides the one in Rome.
