Overview
On the Parasio headland, Porto Maurizio's historical centre, the Basilica named after the city, or rather, the city after the church, has stood in place since the end of the 18th century, and is now considered the cathedral of all of Imperia Its large early 19th-century neoclassical façade dominates the cathedral square, carved out of what had been the parade ground and is still defined, next to the Basilica, by a section of the 17th-century wall. There was an older larger church, but it was not here: it was located not far away on the site of today's Piazza Chiesa Vecchia, on the edge of Borgo Parasio, which is a kind of historic centre within the historic centre itself.
Despite being gutted for the demolition of the previous church and the forced demolition following the earthquake at the end of the 19th century, the medieval layout of the Borgo is still visible: very deep terraced buildings face two paths at different heights. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, the fusion of two or more mediaeval buildings led to the creation of palaces and mansions that from the outside appear simple, but behind the façades, conceal an unusual richness, with precious atriums clearly borrowed from those in Genoa.
