Matitone

The San Benigno Torre Nord, known by the nickname Il Matitone, is a striking high-rise in Genoa's western San Benigno district. Completed in 1992, the building was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill together with Mario Lanata and Andrea Messina. Standing 109 meters tall with 26 floors, it stands out for its distinctive octagonal shape, which is modeled on the bell tower of the Chiesa di San Donato in the Old Town. This particular form gives the tower its colloquial name, which roughly means "the fat pencil." The building is located near the highway ramp to the A7 and, together with the Lanterna (Genoa's lighthouse) and the World Trade Center, forms an architecturally interesting ensemble in the port area.