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Forbidden Love

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Carabaghe Alley

Would you walk through a hidden and narrow path called “Lower Trousers Alley”? Regardless of your answer, if you are strolling around Genoa and you read on a plaque “vico delle Carabaghe” you may like to know the story beneath this name. The word “Calabaghe” by assonance might remind an Italian speaker of something not too “decent”… Indeed the name of the alley could be traced back to the popular term “Calabraghe” (that means ”people who lower trousers”) . Moreover, going back through history, we can confirm that in this area there were many brothels! However there is another theory! According to other sources the “Calabraghe” were war machines (a sort of catapulta). They were kept near Porta Soprana, ready for any attack. It’s on you to choose your favourite version!

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