The Genoese colonies were a series of economic and trade posts in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Some of them had been established directly under the patronage of the republican authorities to support the economy of the local merchants, while others originated as feudal possessions of Genoese nobles, or had been founded by powerful private institutions, such as the Bank of Saint George.
Genoese walls at Caffa, modern Feodosiya in Crimea.
The Genoese fortress of Sudak in the Crimea.
Genoese fort in Tabarka, Tunisia
Galata Tower (1348) at the northern apex of the medieval Genoese citadel of Galata (Pera) in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Genoese navy was the naval contingent of the Republic of Genoa's military. From the 11th century onward the Genoese navy protected the interests of the republic and projected its power throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It played a crucial role in the history of the republic as a thalassocracy and a maritime trading power.
The Genoese fleet returning to port after a successful expedition against the Ottoman Turks. Depicted in the 1597 painting View of Genoa.
The Battle of Meloria (1284) established Genoese naval domination in the Western Mediterranean for nearly a century.
Stern of a replica 17th century Genoese war-galley emblazoned with the white and red cross of Genoa.
Portrait of Admiral Andrea Doria, who advocated for a strong Genoese navy in the 16th century.
