Palazzo Spinola

via Umberto I, 26 - 15060 Rocchetta Ligure (AL)
Tel. +39 (0143) 900.04
Tel. +39 (0143) 904.78
E-mail: comunerocchetta@libero.it
http://www.comune.rocchettaligure.al.it/
https://museorocchettaligure.wixsite.com/resistenza

Rochetta Ligure came about through the behest of Napoleone Spinola, a descendant of a powerful far-seeing Genoese family who had understood the geographical importance of its location. The village, in fact, is on the only road that ran north-south and was used day and night by mule trains loaded with salt and other goods. To bear witness to the importance of the village, in the 1600s Napoleone IV Spinola, feudal owner of Roccaforte Ligure had Palazzo Spinola built as his summer residence. The building has a quadrangular plan that develops around a large atrium bordered by four central pillars and support cross vaults below which are the windows of the middle floor, now used to host temporary exhibitions. The rooms on this floor are all connected, effectively forming a continuous walkway. Under each window there are some slits survive through which fire arms could be aimed, to be able to monitor trade dealings. Of special note is the salon on the upper floor, which has a vault of nine metres from the self-supporting centering in chestnut, on which plastered half-cane reed is nailed.