The Castello d'Albertis, or D'Albertis Castle, was the home of Captain Enrico Alberto d'Albertis, which was donated to the city of Genoa on his death in 1932. A building of great historical and cultural significance, it currently houses the Museo delle Culture del Mondo (Museum of World Cultures).
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Captain D'Albertis (1846-1932) originally enlisted in the Royal Italian Navy, then transferred to the Merchant Navy before he chose to dedicate his life to yachting. After founding the first Italian Yacht Club in 1879, he recreated Christopher Columbus' journey to San Salvador by sailing two cutters, the Violante and the Corsaro, using nautical instruments he had handcrafted, modeled on the ones used by Columbus. In addition, D'Albertis traveled around the world three times, circumnavigated Africa once, and carried out archaeological digs with Arturo Issel.[1]
D'Albertis designed the castle in the styles of architectural collage and Gothic revival. Erected between 1886 and 1892 under the supervision of Neo-gothic revivalist, Alfredo D'Andrade, the castle is located on the site of a 16th century walled city. Alberto not only based his design on the city's foundation, he incorporated and preserved the foundations of the bastion and one of the turrets.[2] It was the first villa-castle built in Genoa.[3]
From top of the hill of Monte Galletto (or Montegalletto), one of the hills in the district of Castelletto, the castle dominates Genoa with a view of the Ligurian Sea.