Top of the World
Genoa, along with Hong Kong and San Francisco is one of the most vertical cities in the world (the center rises from the sea to the mountains in 310 meters height without interruption), and because of this it has somewhat "peculiar" public transportation.Genoa's funicular railway is a public transportation system that connects the city's historic center, located on the Castelletto hill, with the lower area, particularly the Principe-Righi district.The funicular was inaugurated in 1901 and consists of two lines: the Sant'Anna funicular and the Zecca-Righi funicular. The Sant'Anna funicular has a length of 636 meters and a gradient of 37.5 percent, while the Zecca-Righi funicular has a length of 1182 meters and a gradient of 16 percent.Both Genoa funicular lines offer spectacular panoramic views of the city, harbor, and sea. In particular, the Sant'Anna funicular is famous for its view of the Lanterna, Genoa's famous lighthouse.Genoa's funicular is considered a work of engineering art, as it has retained most of its original features and has undergone few modifications over the years. In addition, the funicular was declared a national monument in 1966.Today, the Genoa Funicular is still in service and is one of the city's most important tourist attractions.
