The Lost Neighborhood of Via Madre di Dio

Looking down from the Carignano Bridge (visible from the bus route near Piazza Corvetto/Via XX Settembre), you see a concrete valley of offices and gardens. This was once Via Madre di Dio.

The Heart of the People

It was one of the most populous, vibrant, and scandalous streets of old Genoa. It was the birthplace of Paganini.

• The Destruction: In the late 1960s and 70s, it was razed to the ground in a controversial "modernization" plan to build the Centro dei Liguri.

What remains?

Very little. But knowing it was there adds a layer of melancholy and depth to the shiny modern city you see from the bus. It reminds us that Genoa is a city of layers, some hidden forever.