A Bit of History – The Arsenal of the Republic In the dockyard area (the Darsena), the Most Serene Republic of Genoa had its own Arsenal. There the Genoese ships – so critical to the settlement of overseas colonies – were built and repaired. The main buildings in the Arsenal were named – and still retain their name - after these settlements: Caffa in Crimea on the Black Sea; Metellino (Mitiline) in the Aegean Sea; Tabarca, an island far from the seashore of Tunisia; and finally Galata, in Turkey. The latter - the largest 3-floor building - accommodates the Museum of Sea (Museo del Mare) where the history of navigation is narrated with the aid of a striking setting that offers a real picture of voyage by sea through the centuries.