Genoa is the capital of Liguria and the sixth largest city in Italy. Genoa is one of Europe's largest cities on the Mediterranean Sea and the largest seaport in Italy. Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006. The city's rich cultural history in notably its art, music and cuisine allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. Genoa, which forms the southern corner of the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle of north-west Italy, is one of the country's major economic centres. The city has hosted massive shipyards and steelworks since the 19th century, and its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages. The Bank of Saint George, founded in 1407, is among the oldest in the world and has played an important role in the city's prosperity since the middle of the 15th century.
