Galleon "Neptune" in Genova

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In the port of Genoa is "Neptune" - a replica of the Spanish galleon of the 17th century. It was built in 1985 for filming the novel by Roman Polanski "Pirates". Above the waterline, the ship is really built of wood, but below it is a steel casing, and inside the engine is 400 hp.

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Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used by the Spanish as armed cargo carriers and later adopted by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal fleet units drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the mid-1600s. Galleons generally carried three or more masts with a lateen fore-and-aft rig on the rear masts, were carvel built with a prominent squared off raised stern, and used square-rigged sail plans on their fore-mast and main-masts.

Such ships were the mainstay of maritime commerce into the early 19th century, and were often drafted into use as auxiliary naval war vessels—indeed, were the mainstay of contending fleets through most of the 150 years of the Age of Exploration—before the Anglo-Dutch wars brought purpose-built ship-rigged warships that thereafter dominated war at sea during the remainder of the age of sail.

Info from wikipedia

Neptune was the god of freshwater and the sea in Roman religion. He is the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. In the Greek-influenced tradition, Neptune was the brother of Jupiter and Pluto; the brothers presided over the realms of Heaven, the earthly world, and the Underworld. Salacia was his wife.

Depictions of Neptune in Roman mosaics, especially those of North Africa, are influenced by Hellenistic conventions.Neptune was likely associated with fresh water springs before the sea. Like Poseidon, Neptune was worshipped by the Romans also as a god of horses, under the name Neptunus Equester, a patron of horse-racing.

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Pirates are sea (and river) robbers, robbing ships.

In international law, piracy is a crime of an international character, consisting in the illegal seizure, robbery or sinking of commercial or civil ships committed on the high seas.

Piracy is equivalent to the attack during the war of ships, submarines and military aircraft on merchant vessels of neutral countries.

For me, the word Pirate is covered with a romantic fleur from books. This is the Treasure Island of Stevenson, and the Odyssey of Captain Blood, Sabbaniti. And many other books and films.
True, the movie "Pirates" by Roman Polanski, I did not watch. They say he fell through at the box office and thanks to this the galleon "Neptune" is now in the port of the city of Genova.

To go on board the galleon you need to pay 5 euros.

I parked the car right in front of this wood in the parking lot. Parking for visitors to a large aquarium, which is located next to the ship.

First we decided to see the city of Genoa, and then go back and maybe visit the galleon. But during the tour our guide told us that there is nothing to do at the galleon and there is nothing to watch.
We decided not to spend money on it.

Genova has always been a city of sailors. The sea, ships and travel - this is the most important thing for the inhabitants of Genova. In the Middle Ages, sailors from these places fought for dominance at sea with the same sailors from Venice.
By the way, I'd like to add, in Genova was born and lived such a great explorer as Columbus.

Visiting the city of Genoa was quite an interesting event. Southern port city with the richest history, with beautiful houses and palaces. Maybe this city did not fall in love at first sight, as Florence did to me. But this place deserves attention.