Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato

Genova Piazza Principe is the nerve-centre of the city’s transport system. Located in piazza Acquaverde, a strategic position, it is passed through by 66 thousand persons per day on average, over 24 million per year, with about 300 trains per day.

History

The Genova Piazza Principe station was build to the design of architect Alessandro Mazzucchetti in 1860. The first station complex consisted of a great single-span steel vault supported by lateral building structures.
The Travellers Building had the features typical of buildings of neoclassical inspiration: strict architectural lines and imposing but simple forms. The portico, which is still used by departing travellers today, is in the doric style, enriched by decorative elements that emphasize the layout of its volumes.
The constant increase in railway traffic soon made it necessary to enlarge the station. The relative works were designed by engineer Giacomo Radini Tedeschi, and built in 1900. A group of through tracks was laid out above the head station, from which it was separated by the insertion of a new building. The need to serve the new group of tracks changed the flow-routes and functions of the various area: the main hall by the head gallery lost its central role to a new decentralized hall.
During the war the great steel vaulted room was dismantled so the metal could be used for military purposes, and it was never rebuilt.

Present situation

It consists of several levels:
• the basement floor is occupied chiefly by technical rooms and railway stockrooms;
• the track-level floor, which lower than the ground floor, is occupied almost entirely by technical rooms, stockrooms, commercial activities and catering services;
• the ground floor, consisting of the Travellers Building, houses commercial activities and passenger services;
• the remaining levels are occupied solely by railway offices and facilties.