Villetta Di Negro, for many Genoese “Dinegro” just to save space, is a municipal park in the center of the city of Genoa, on a small hill overlooking Piazza Corvetto and Piazzale Mazzini, partially covered with the bastions, called “Luccoli”, the walls dating back to the 17th century.
The villa was built at the beginning of the 19th century by the Marquis Gian Carlo Di Negro and the park was decorated both with tall trees and paths with flowerbeds leading to the main villa, from which the view extended to the sea, with the presence of numerous statues, in keeping with the classical style of the period.
In the second half of the 19th century, after the death of the Marquis Di Negro, the complex was bought by the City of Genoa and the villa was used as the Botanical Garden of the University of Genoa.
During the bombings of World War II, the villa was practically destroyed except for the terrace overlooking the buildings in Piazza Fontane Marose, and in the following years it was rebuilt in modern style to house the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art.
In the period between the two world wars, the garden was enriched both with alien plants and with two artificial "caves", one large and one small. In addition, the waterfall was designed by creating overhangs and pools to make the flow of water more spectacular.