I.M. Pei has probably never visited Rapallo, but that hasn’t kept us from having our very own pyramid, which is quite reminiscent of the glass pyramid Pei designed for the Louvre Museum in Paris. Well, no, ours isn’t quite as large, but it does make its own quiet statement in the square on the Lungomare that holds the newly renovated bandstand.
In fact the whole of the piazza has been renovated over the last year or so, and that is why we have the pyramid in the first place. It used to be that delivery trucks and cars could drive and park around the band shell; the road surface was removed and the piazza has been turned into a quite lovely pedestrian zone. While they were excavating the old road they came upon some stonework from the port, back when the sea came up almost to the buildings. In the intervening years the Lungomare road and its neighboring broad seaside passagiata were built, evidently right on top of what was there before. Here’s what you see if you peer into our pyramid:
That’s a nice bit of stonework, isn’t it? I would imagine the rusty hardware is an old mooring ring. I think it’s great they took the trouble to preserve and show all of us a bit of maritime history. It would’ve been easier simply to cover it all up again.
Well, maybe it’s not quite as exciting as the Louvre. But whenever I’m revisited by my lifelong and thus far unrealized wish to visit Egypt, I just go down to the Lungomare and gaze at the pyramid.
An Ex-Expatriate 
I would love to do that. It may not be on this trip, but I will be back early next year for a few months.
Good! Hope to see you. We won’t be here in early 2011, but will return in early April at the latest.
Ciao!
My name is Chelsea and I am a reader of your blog. We are moving to Rapallo from Torino in 2 weeks and I was wondering if you knew of any Italian tutors or groups that meet in the area? I still need practice learning the language. Thanks in advance!
Here is my blog: http://www.viapecetto.blogspot.com
While reading the post I thought “here we go .. Another way for the giunta comunale to waste money” but was pleasantly surprised at the insight of the council to actually preserve a piece of history … I would’ve done a cube and not a pyramid but still next year when I come to the Tigullio I’ll make a point to go see it
I’m glad they did it, too, Marco, though there was quite a bit of discussion about it being a waste of money at the time. Finding the ‘ruins’ held up the work for quite a while, but the result was worth it. It’s not very large…
How sweet!
I wish they’d moored a mini-ship to the ring;
but then it would look like a tacky diorama, so this is probably better.
less is more, don’t cha know…
True… a little more might’ve been okay, though.
It is a very cute little pyramid. I was in Rapallo last week and I missed it. I will have to go back.
It’s not too hard to miss, Debra. Next time you come to Rapallo give a shout; we can meet for a cafe (and I’ll show you the hidden pyramid).