Decostruzione e ricostruzione urbana : un secolo di ferrovie genovesi (1853-1953)

La ferrovia genovese e il suo porto hanno plasmato la città, cambiandone l'aspetto, il ruolo e la rilevanza nazionale e internazionale. In questo processo la città si è trovata a essere un vero e proprio laboratorio di nuovi mezzi. È da notare la scarsità di studi di questo tipo, soprattutto per quanto riguarda i casi italiani, spesso datati e privi di un approccio storiografico, orientandosi piuttosto verso narrazioni amatoriali e basate sulla memoria. La metodologia scelta cerca di amalgamare la tradizionale ricerca statistica sui ricavi e sulle merci trasportate con considerazioni urbanistiche, fornendo un primo bilancio di un secolo segnato dalla costruzione, dalla sperimentazione e dalla ricostruzione della ferrovia. [Testo dell'editore]

This article examines the transformative impact of railways on the city of Genoa from the mid-nineteenth century to the post-World War II period. Rail transport, alongside the advent of steam navigation and the expansion of ship sizes, played a pivotal role in reshaping Genoa's commercial and urban landscape. As a key node in Italy's first industrial triangle, the arrival of the railway marked a decisive break with the past, stimulating regional trade and forging critical connections between the port and inland manufacturing centers. Major projects such as the Giovi Tunnel and the expansion of Ansaldo's locomotive production underscore Genoa's pioneering role in technological innovation. Large sections of the city were transformed by railway construction, while the electrification of freight and passenger lines in 1911 and the construction of the Autocamionale in 1935 further enhanced its logistical capacity. Despite the destruction wrought by World War II, rail traffic rebounded in the postwar period

Drawing on a wide range of sources, including engineering reports, parliamentary debates, Chamber of Commerce data, and historical scholarship, this study explores the long-term relationship between Genoa's railway infrastructure and its commercial function. It contributes to historiographical debates on transport and urban development by addressing two key questions: How did the railway shape Genoa's maritime-commercial identity, and what innovations emerged in portrail transport over the century? [Publisher's Text]