Chiesa della Natività di Maria Santissima in Sampierdarena

The chiesa della Natività di Maria Santissima is a Catholic religious building in the Sampierdarena district. It is situated on the hill of Belvedere, an old village in a dominant position over the settlement of Sampierdarena, which is now integrated into the urban fabric of the neighborhood.

The first building of the church, first mentioned in a 1285 notarial document, dates back to the 13th century as a chapel of the monastery of Santa Maria di Belvedere delle monache agostiniane. In 1416, the order returned to the monastery, staying there continuously until the suppression of religious orders in 1797. In 1665, the church was completely reconstructed in the form it retains today because it was too small for the large influx of pilgrims.

In 1931, the church was established as a parish by Cardinal Carlo Dalmazio Minoretti. The annual patronal feast is celebrated on the Nativity of Maria, September 8. During the centuries of the Republic of Genoa, large crowds traveled from the city on foot to reach the site for the feast, which coincided with the civil commemoration of the naval victory at Curzola.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons