One of the most unique places in Genoa is definitely the Castello d’Albertis-Montegalletto lift, which has the peculiarity of starting its journey like a train carriage and ending it like a lift. It is a unique system in the world that is able to cover a stretch of 300 meters like a funicular railway and then turn into an elevator and go up vertically 70 meters.
Let’s take a step back, in 1929 a private company built the most imposing elevator among those in public service in Genoa that connects Via Balbi and the Piazza Principe Station with the area of the D’Albertis Castle, keeping the prices lower than the public service, and in Genoa this is a sensitive issue, and there are many users. After several modernizations, the system was absorbed by Amt in 1976, which kept it working until 1995.
At this point Amt, after having thought about it for a few years, designs and builds a unique system in the world that combines the application of the most advanced technologies in cableway traction with the use of the technical components typical of cableways and lifts to obtain maximum reliability. The result is an integrated system: the horizontal funicular system travels through the tunnel at a speed of 4.5 m. per second, the vertical system transports the elevator at a speed of 1.16 m. per second.
Along the stations you can retrace the history of this unique system and once arrived at the terminus you go down near the Castello d’Albertis, a very particular building that hides secret passages and places normally inaccessible to the public. Here you can also visit the interesting Museum of World Cultures and enjoy an impressive view of the city.
