| Photo Information |
Copyright: Marque Berger (rio_de_janeiro)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 75 W: 79 N: 317]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (1650) |
| Genre: Places |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-05-14 |
| Categories: Artwork |
| Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ3 |
| Exposure: f/3.3, 1/1300 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-05-22 1:32 |
| Viewed: 367 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Gandhi Statue in Genovas's harbour.
The port of Genoa, once just a natural inlet, started to become active as early as the 5th century B.C. The first port facilities for which there are records date back to shortly after the year 1000.
The history of the Porto Antico, known as Mandraccio, and the trade that Genoa had with the entire Mediterranean, coincides with the history of a landing place that followed the path of the innovations in the structure of ships and the means of loading and unloading goods, modifying the coastline and the port structures, with incessant adaptations and new interventions.
Genoa was at the centre of ancient traffic, especially in the 4th century A.D., whenMilan was elected capital of the Empire and did not cease to be so even though historiographical sources are scarce as late as the early Middle Ages.
The leadership of the town and its port on the Mediterranean Sea intensified and became clear with the birth of the Comune (city republic) in the epoch of the crusades and, later, in the 16th century: the "Century of the Genoese", according to Fernand Braudel, even though, despite the economic power of the city reaching its peak, there was no parallel development of port activities, since the great Genoese families had considerably slowed down their commitments to trading in favour of real and true financial activities.
During the 20th century, the port traffic moved more and more to the Western part of the city and the old area remained practically unused until the restructuring in 1992 gave it back to the community.
In 1995 the Genoa City Council granted to Porto Antico di Genova S.p.A. the concession of 130,000 m2 of space constituting the Porto Antico area (71,000 m2 indoors and 59,000 m2 outdoors) until 2050.
The company’s shareholders are 51% the Genoa City Council, 39% the Genoa Chamber of Commerce and 10% the Genoa Port Authority – their objective is to give the area of the ancient harbour back to the city by making it pleasant and enjoyable all year round.
This is brought about through the staging of cultural initiatives, the development of conference activities and the building of structures of general interest to create a national and international centre of tourism.
Over the last few years, these objectives have been pursued by means of a policy of gradual and well-considered filling and occupation of the spaces, dictated by the striving for the quality and coherence of the concessions.
The quality management system of the Magazzini del Cotone Conference Centre, and the designing and management of the events organised in the Porto Antico area are certified to ISO 9001:2000, assessed by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). |
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![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 543 W: 24 N: 501]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
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