Exiting the Duomo, move on toward Piazza Matteotti, site of the Palazzo Ducale, for centuries the seat of the Government of the Republic of Genoa. Boasting Medieval origins and a monumental façade (1778), the Doge’s palace was restored in 1992 and has become an important multi-use cultural center. It now contains libraries and conference facilities and hosts important exhibits; it was also the site of the G8 Summit in July 2001.

On the same Piazza, the Jesuit Chiesa del Gesù church built by Tibaldi in 1597 displays two paintings by Rubens: The Circumcision of Jesus and St. Ignatius Curing the Sick.