Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-02-17
THE CITY OF GENOA
Noted Italian Centre Is Now 10 the
Fore.
WAS one OF The PIONEERS In FINANCE
Grcat Commercial Gateway for More
Than Two Thousand Tears-onee
Leading Financial Centre OF Europe
Ancient Palaces are Numerous

A conference on European finances
at Genoa suggests a revival OF the
city's home industry, remarks bulle-
tin issued by the National Geographic
Society on "Genova IL Surperba," as
the Italians call their great CONNER
cial doorway, a port for two thousand
years.
Genoa was one of the pioneers in
European finance" says the bulletin.
.Tt had one of the first full-fedged
banks in the Banca di San Giorgio, the
rival and for a long time the peer or
the great bank of Venice. The Banca
di San Giorgio. more than 500 years
ago, had such modern trimmings as
real estate department which look
charge of conquered territories, ad-
ministered them somewhat after the
fashion of a modern trust company,
and after putting them on a sound
economic basis, ceded them back to
the Genoese government. Later when
Spain had it's wonderful development
of power and came near dominating
the world, Genoa served as banker to
its kings and as a sort of general
manager and outfitter to its armies
and navies. '''
: Greatest Italian Port. ,.'
80 unlike the people of some Of its
old rival cities, the Genoese have man
aged to keep much of the financial and
business ability which gave their. city
great wealth and world Importance in
the Middle Ages. Today it's busy har-
bor with it's forest of masts and fun
rels testifies to it's position as the
greatest Italian port, the second port
of the Mediterranean, and the fifth
port on the mainland Of Europe. For
ty per cent. Of Ttaly's commerce is
said to pass through the harbor of
"The wealth that the business abili-
ty of the Genoese brought to their cof-
fers has been recorded In stone in
the city's many palaces, larger and
more numerous than those of any
Genoa sweeps before the observer in
great semi-circle, its buildings rising
tier above tier on the slope Of hills
which extend almost from the waters
edge. Beyond the closely built fore
ground the hillsides are studded with
cleaning villas set In their terraced
gardens. In the background, on the
crest of the enclosing hills, are the
ramparts that tell of the days when
Genoa, supreme at sea, must protect
her rear from hostile neighbors on
land .s.s-.. -...
Palaces Drug on Market ~.
Viewing some Of the most nobly
built streets, the visitor is ready to be-
lieve that Genoa had zoning laws and
strict building regulations. For block
after block the cornice Of one palace
is on line with that of it's neighbor,
giving a consistency most pleasing to
the eye. Spacious external marble
stairs are features of many of the lux
urious dwellings in other streets, due
to the steep slopes on which the build
ings were erected. In some Of the an
cient palaces scions of Genoa's famous
old families still live, but many have
been turned to public and semi public
uses and house municipal offices,
museums and schools. The famous
old Palazzo'd San Giorgio, first resi-
houses the harbor commission, and the
Palace of the Doges is a telegraph Of
flee. . ...
Though in the very middle of the