The Via Garibaldi is the most interesting and important street in the medieval part of Ventimiglia. It is lined by several historic buildings, such as the Palazzo Vescovado, the Oratorio dei Neri and the former San Francesco Church.
Via Garibaldi Ventimiglia
History and description
The Via Garibaldi is lined by numerous historical buildings. One of the most important ones is the Palazzo Vescovado, with its 15th century Loggia del Parlamento (or Loggia dei Mercanti). Part of this loggia had to be demolished in the 19th century in order to create space for the Teatro Civico. Nowadays it is the seat of the Civica Biblioteca Aprosiana, the oldest library in the region Liguria.
On the left side you can see a number of 16th century palaces with hanging gardens at the back. The piano nobile is left open, as was customary at the time. Most of these palaces were restored in the 19th century.
The Oratorio dei Neri on the other side of the street has a baroque facade and an interior enlivened by frescoes by Maurizio and Tommaso Carrega. The building itself was constructed in 1650, but the frescoes were painted between 1784 and 1786. The stucco decorations of the barrel vault were also by Maurizio Carrega.
The deconsecrated San Francesco Church was built in the 14th century and resconstructed in the baroque period. One fresco depicting “Santa Caterina” and another one depicting the “Annunciation” remain in the building, which is nowadays used as a school.