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==Geography==
Bolzaneto was once a hamlet located outside of the city limits in the [[Polcevera]] valley, but in the recent centuries it became an industrial area. Today it is a suburb of Genoa, surrounded by many small industries and business firms, but offering excellent views of the city and harbor. The Bolzaneto district includes the hamlets of Morego, San Biagio, Brasile, Cremeno, Geminiano and [[Murta (Genova)|Murta]]. The
On the mountains behind Bolzaneto, at the left side of Polcevera valley, are two fortresses, which are part of the external fortresses of Genoa: the “Fort Diamante” and the fort named “Fratello Minore”. At the right side of valley, on Mount Figogna (804 m), is the [[Shrine of N.S. della Guardia]], from where you have a wide view of the valley. The Shrine, located in the municipality of [[Ceranesi]] can be reached by the provincial road No 52.▼
▲Bolzaneto district includes the hamlets Morego, San Biagio, Brasile, Cremeno, Geminiano and [[Murta (Genova)|Murta]]. The entire district has a population of 15,239 inhabitants (as of [[December 31]], [[2006]]).
▲On the mountains behind Bolzaneto, at the left side of Polcevera valley, are two fortresses, which are part of the external fortresses of Genoa: the “Fort Diamante” and the fort named “Fratello Minore”.
== History ==
Until the mid-19th century Bolzaneto was a small village on the left side of the
Brasile is now a little hamlet on the hill behind Bolzaneto, but in the [[Middle Ages]] people lived there who had important roles in the government of the [[Republic of Genoa]]. Near Bolzaneto, then on the right side of Polcevera stream, was located the monastery of San Francesco alla Chiappetta, built at the end of the 13th century. ▼
In the 18th century, the [[Republic of Genoa]], allied
▲Brasile is now a little hamlet on the hill behind Bolzaneto, but in the [[Middle Ages]] people lived there who had important roles in the government of the [[Republic of Genoa]].
Starting on [[April 11]] [[1747]] another Austrian army [[Siege of Genoa (1747)]] unsuccessfully besieged Genoa. The Autrians, coming from the North through the [[Apennine]], again occupied the whole Valpolcevera. The prolonged occupation led to looting and desctruction of the homes and villages in the region. In the weeks that followed, an army of volunteers of Valpolcevera, supported by regular troops of the Republic of Genoa began a counter-offensive, forcing the evacuation on [[July 9]], [[1747]] from the Valpocevera of the Austrian army, leaving behind much of the area in a state of devastation.
The topography of the place had a great change in the mid-19th century, when the Genoa-Turin railway was built. It was necessary to correct and dam the frequently-flooding Polcevera river, eliminating the existing bend. A new path for the torrent bed was dug for about 500 m, by cutting the base of the Murta hill upstream the monastery of San Francesco (that so passed from right to left bank of the stream) and an [[dike (construction)|embankment]] on the left side was built, on which the railway runs.▼
▲In the 18th century, the [[Republic of Genoa]], allied of [[France]], was involved in [[War of Austrian Succession]]. In 1746 the [[Valpolcevera]] was thus occupied by an Austrian-Piedmontese army, led by the General [[Antoniotto Botta Adorno| Botta Adorno]], which came up to Genoa, from where he was expelled after the popular revolt of [[December 5]], [[1746]], set up with the legendary episode of [[Giovan Battista Perasso| Balilla]].
▲A new path for the torrent bed was dug for about 500 m, by cutting the base of the Murta hill upstream the monastery of San Francesco (that so passed from right to left bank of the stream) and an [[dike (construction)|embankment]] on the left side was built, on which the railway runs.
▲In the old torrent bed gradually many houses were built up, thus forming the present town of Bolzaneto.
In the second half of the 19th century, the area, formerly agricultural, became industrial, with the establishment of several companies (the most important were the Foundries Bruzzo and the soap factory Lo Faro). In 1926, together with other 18 municipalities, Bolzaneto joined the municipality of Genoa, to form the so called [[Great Genoa]].
After the [[Second World War]], the steel crisis led to the closure of Foundries Bruzzo (1957) and in a portion of these areas, near S. Biagio, was built the ERG refinery (then closed in 1988, also as a result of the growing attention of people to environmental aspects). In this area where there is now a large shopping center and a new residential district. Like this, other areas, abandoned since 1960, due to the closure of factories, many small industries and businesses firms have now replaced them.
Close to Bolzaneto there is a police [[barracks]] that in 2001 was in the international headlines, when there many protesters (arrested during the disturbances occurred at the [[27th G8 summit|G8 meeting in the city of Genoa]]) were imprisoned. Some [[police officer|police officers]] were accused and convicted of organised brutality on a large scale. <ref>BBC 15 July 2008 "Italy officials convicted over G8" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7506609.stm]</ref>
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=== Castle of Bolzaneto ===
[[Image:Villa Pastorino.JPG| Villa Pastorino.|thumb | right | 250px]]
▲Several times the castle was involved in fighting, especially in the 1746-1747 in the course of the [[War of Austrian Succession]], and also became the headquarters of the Podestà (major) of Polcevera Valley. At the beginning of the 20th century it was abandoned as military stronghold and transformed into a residential villa, then into a hospital, until 1990.
=== Fortresses ===
The Fortresses called "I Due Fratelli" (The Two Brothers) were two fortresses said, referring to their position, "Major Brother" and "Minor Brother". They were built by the [[House of Savoy| Savoy]] in the first half of nineteenth century, after the annexation of the [[Republic of Genoa]] to [[Kingdom of Sardinia]], established by [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1814. The first fortress, shaped as a simple tower, was demolished in 1932 to create an antiaircraft position, the second one (''Minor Brother'') is still intact and overlooks the valley from the top of Mount Spino (622 m). The "Fort Diamante", on the top of mount bearing the same name, has been built in the 18th century, then completed and modified in the first half of the 19th century.
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=== Villas and palaces ===
In Bolzaneto and on [[Murta (Genova)|Murta]] hill there were, in the past centuries, many villas and palaces used as summer residences by the noble and rich Genoese families. Some of these survived today, although now surrounded by factories and sheds.
Among these Villa Carrega (17th century) and Villa Garibaldi (now both used as nursery schools) and, on the right bank of Polcevera the Palaces Rivarola and Pareto. Near the hamlet of Cremeno is the Villa Cambiaso, which was the summer residence of Giovanni Battista Cambiaso, who was [[Doge of Genoa|Doge]] of the [[Republic of Genoa]] (from 1771 to 1773).▼
▲These buildings, restructured, are used as schools, offices or private houses.
▲Near the hamlet of Cremeno is the Villa Cambiaso, which was the summer residence of Giovanni Battista Cambiaso, who was [[Doge of Genoa|Doge]] of the [[Republic of Genoa]] (from 1771 to 1773).
[[Image:Bolzaneto - N.S. Neve.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Church of N.S. della Neve.]]
===Places of worship ===
==== Church of N.S. della Neve ====
The first Church of N.S. della Neve was built in the 14th century as a chapel depending by the parish of San Felice of Brasile, restored in seventeenth century and completely rebuilt in 1855 when became the seat of the parish.
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