Loggia di Banchi in Genoa to Become Flexible Cultural Space After Archaeological Discovery

The Loggia di Banchi in Genoa, a late 16th-century covered square originally built for commercial transactions and considered one of Europe's first organized stock exchanges, will be repurposed as a multifunctional cultural space. The project to transform it into a permanent 'Museo della Città' was halted in 2021 when medieval archaeological remains were discovered beneath the floor during preliminary investigations. After months of negotiations between the Comune di Genoa and the Soprintendenza, a compromise was reached: the archaeological finds will be studied, cataloged, and protected, while most of the area will be made accessible again with transparent glass flooring. The museum concept has been abandoned in favor of a flexible model open to temporary exhibitions, events, performances, and initiatives for young artists, along with light services such as refreshment areas. The city administration plans to launch a co-design process involving foundations and private entities, including the Compagnia di San Paolo, as well as citizens and cultural operators, to define the space's future identity. The Loggia faces Piazza Banchi, a strategic passage between the port and the caruggi, near historic mercantile streets like Via Orefici and Via San Luca.