Votive niches in Genua
On the corner of almost every alley, but also in the middle of the biggest streets of historical squares in the city there is a religious shrine. Walk with your nose up and you’ll be surprised to see how many “edicole votive” you’ll find…they are more than 300! They date to the Middle Ages, when genoese people have been fond of protecting their homes and their work with sacred images placed in tabernacles or niches. They show the importance of the cult of St Mary, preached by St Bernard and St Bonaventure, but their presence had a practical use too: many alleys were not named, and the niches were often used as a reference point.
