Elevators are an essential part of Genoa's public transportation system. They allow you to quickly reach elevated areas, granting you to admire the city from above.
Four of the most spectacular lifts currently still in operation are the Castelletto Levante elevator, the Quezzi elevator, the Montegalletto elevator (renamed the Balbi lift by the locals) and the Via XX Settembre-Ponte Monumentale elevator.
I have personally only used the last two in this list so I still need to try the others, and perhaps I will write about them another time.
Genoa has twelve elevators but, even among the impressive catalog of inclined roads, bridges, trolleybuses, viaducts, trams, funiculars, and other approaches to civil mobility, there is one example that so far deviates from the norm of common sense, not only in Italy but even globally, that it has paradoxically become more famous (at least online) than the towering building complex to which it is supposed to facilitate access.
This is undoubtedly unique, considering that the site in question is none other than the neo-Gothic Albertis Castle, built in the 19th century by the wealthy explorer and naval captain of the same name, which today houses Liguria's most notable museum dedicated to the cultures of the world (and which I have written about in a previous blog).
Balbi lift
In order to get there, people need to take the Balbi lift, an eclectic self-propelled cabin capable of moving up, down, forward, back and even sideways.
The building of this unique lift granted access from the Piazza Principe central station to the avenue above Via Balbi, hence its name the Balbi lift.
The elevator is perhaps the only one of its kind in the world. It was first opened in 1929 but it was renovated and modernized in 2004 thanks to funds made available by a redevelopment program for the historic center and surrounding neighborhoods.
The lift has a first flat section approximately 300 meters long which is traveled by a cable-powered cabin to then reach an interchange point equipped with motorized tires that transport the cabin to the lift systems.
In a second vertical section 70 meters high, the cabin operates like any other elevator, moving up or down.
Thanks to the double vertical tunnel, the system operates with two elevators simultaneously, alternating between the vertical and horizontal tunnels.
Besides being an extraordinary transportation system, it is also extremely useful for the residents of the Montegalletto area above Genoa’s central station. In total, the two cabins can transport up to 800 people per hour.
As I have said, the elevator can also be used to reach the Castello D'Albertis, one of Genoa's most important landmarks and there's no doubt that the great ethnologist, philanthropist and adventurer Enrico Alberto d'Albertis would have liked such a solution.
Balbi lift
The second elevator, the Via XX Settembre-Ponte Monumentale lift, is one of the closest elevators to the city center but it is also one of the least known. It connects Via XX Settembre (one of the main shopping streets in Genoa) to the neighborhood above it. With a ride of just 23 meters, you can gain a different perspective on one of the streets most beloved by Genoese and beyond. This view allows you to slow down time, allowing yourself to observe the buildings, the flowing traffic, and the hidden monuments. From the top you can view the monumental bridge and you can easily reach Genoa’s biggest hospital, the Galliera complex.
Balbi lift
