Basilica Genoa, Italy- by K.J.S.Chatrath

The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is a Catholic cathedral in Genoa, northern Italy; its decoration employed the major baroque studios and artists in Genoa in the 17th century.
It is named Vastato because the area where it was built was outside the walls of the city, in an area where houses had been demolished (devastated) for defensive reasons. In Latin, vastiniumreferred to a safety belt within the protective bastions.

The church was begun by the Franciscans in 1520 in a site previously occupied by the small church of Santa Maria del Prato, belonging to the Humiliati. Works were however halted in 1537, and in 1591 the Lomellini family continued the reconstruction, directed by Taddeo Carlone.
In the early 17th century the rich Baroque decoration was executed, with Andrea Ansaldo in charge of completing the works, and in particular the dome. The current Neoclassicist façade dates to 1830-1840s, designed by Carlo Barabino. The church was damaged by Allied bombings during World War II.