Genoa, or Genova, is a port city in northwestern Italy. First settled by the Ligurians and later a Roman station, in the middle ages Genoa became an important commercial centre. Ruskin 's visits to Genoa included those made in 1833, 1840, 1845, 1846, 1850, 1874 and 1882. He professed a fondness for the city ( Works, 19.39) and praised some details of the Cathedral ( Works, 9.298, 345).