The diocesan museum of Albenga, located inside the ancient bishop’s palace, offers a journey within a valuable historic building. The path unfolds through seven rooms: from the hall dedicated to the illustrious archaeologist Nino Lamboglia, which preserves some finds unearthed during the excavation work of the Cathedral, to the tapestry room containing the cycle with stories of the childhood of Moses, a fine example of late 16th-century Brussels craftsmanship. Among the objects preserved are paintings of the Ligurian-Provençal school from the 14th to 16th centuries; notable are the pieces of silverware belonging to the Cathedral’s treasure; among them stand out for their refined workmanship, works of the local school, the reliquary busts of St. Calocerus (15th century) and St. Veranus (1475). Very important is the presence of some splendid canvases by internationally significant authors, such as the Martyrdom of St. Catherine by Guido Reni, and the Miracle of St. Veranus by Giovanni Lanfranco, both of Roman origin, and the canvas of St. John the Baptist, at the center of heated debates as it is attributed by many to Caravaggio. The route ends with a visit to the Red Room, formerly used for the bishop’s audiences, which preserves the red silk damask tapestry from 1775, along with contemporary furnishings. Also from the late eighteenth century is the small marble statue depicting the Madonna with the Child Jesus seated on clouds, a work by Francesco Maria Schiaffino.
Information about Bishop’s Palace of Albenga
Via Episcopio, 5
17031 Albenga (Savona)
0182/555997
beniculturali@albengaimperiach
Source: MIBACT
