Civico Museo Archeologico e della Città

Savona's Civic Archaeological and City Museum occupies the medieval Palazzo della Loggia within Priamar fortress, on the hill where the city's earliest settlement developed.

Why it matters

The archaeology of Priamar and the history of Savona are closely connected. Excavations began during restoration of the fortress in the mid-1950s, and the museum opened in 1990 as parts of the complex returned to public use. Archaeological remains preserved in place give the museum a direct relationship to the settlement beneath it.

What to notice

Excavated surfaces include part of a Byzantine necropolis and early medieval settlement layers. Collections trace local history from the Middle Bronze Age through the classical and early medieval periods. Ceramics form a major focus, from imported Islamic and Byzantine wares to the maiolica that later made Savona known. Objects from older civic collections, including mosaics, bronzes and glass, broaden the picture. The medieval Palazzo della Loggia stands beside the 1417 loggia of the Castello Nuovo.

Context and history

The museum operates within Savona's municipal MUSA system and in collaboration with the Istituto Internazionale di Studi Liguri, whose researchers carried out excavations at Priamar. The original museum installation was designed by Guido Canali; later expansion added galleries and interpretive materials, including tactile displays. The institution also supports archaeological and ceramics research.