Housed within the grand San Lorenzo Cathedral is the fascinating Cathedral Museum (Museo del Tesoro della Cattedrale di San Lorenzo). Venture inside to discover what is believed by many to be the Holy Grail, as well as countless impressive works of art and a fragment of the True Cross.
The cavernous San Lorenzo Cathedral stands as one of the oldest and most prominent churches in Genoa. For centuries, it has been the religious and cultural heart of the city, and today this is no different. Appreciate the Gothic-Romanesque façade with its irregularly sized bell towers and distinctive black stripes before stepping into the cool interior.
Enter the museum through a door inside the cathedral. The museum is home to the most sacred of the cathedral’s relics, including the “Sacro Catino,” a basin-like artifact that was thought to have been a relic from the Last Supper. Also worth seeking out are relics of St. John the Baptist. These include the polished quartz platter on which Salome is said to have received St. John’s head, as well as the Chest of the Ashes of St. John.
Another of the museum’s most important pieces is the Byzantine Reliquary of the True Cross. Be amazed by the glittering opulence of its gold and gemstones and learn about its long and significant history in Genoa.
Wander through the rooms of the museum, buried beneath the cathedral, to see other masterpieces crafted in gold and silver as well as sacred art dating from the 11th to the 19th centuries. The Cathedral Museum provides a fascinating insight into the legends and history of the city’s most famous and significant church and is a worthwhile and memorable addition to a visit.
The Cathedral Museum is located inside the San Lorenzo Cathedral on Piazza San Lorenzo, in the old town of Genoa. It is usually open from early in the morning until well into the evening, with a long break at lunchtime. Make your way through the narrow lanes of the old city until you see the cathedral’s unmistakable striped exterior.
