The nineteenth-century batteries of Genoa: a forgotten heritage

The coastal batteries represent a little-known element in the Genoese system of fortifications, consolidated during the course of the nineteenth century. One of the reasons is connected to the fact that they are generally poorly developed structures from an architectural viewpoint. Many of them have also disappeared or have been incorporated in more recent constructions which hide them from sight. This paper contextualises the system of batteries from the historical viewpoint, briefly illustrating the different solutions adopted and then concentrating on two of the still existing structures: the Batteria della Stella, now surmounted by a building owned by the Italian army and actually inaccessible, but still integral in its external perimeter, and the Batteria della Malapaga, built in the 19th century adjacent to the 16th century Porta Siberia gatehouse, which houses the Luzzati Museum. The purpose of this work is to bring this kind of defensive structure to the attention, to prevent those still existing from being unwillingly lost, and hopefully to contribute to increasing their awareness and enhancing their value.