The Cathedral of Ventimiglia The cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, and is also closely linked to the worship of the martyr San Secondo, patron saint of the town and of the diocese. It was built by the people of Ventimiglia in the 11th – 13th centuries, on the remains of an even earlier cathedral, traces of which are still visible today, under the present construction. Tradition has it that this first church was built on the site of a pagan temple, as suggested by an inscription placed to the right of the main entrance, and dedicated to Giunone Regina. In the Middle Ages the cathedral was narrower than at present, and had only one great nave: the crypt, with pre-Romanesque sculpures, is still visible. In 1100 the cathedral and baptistry were completely reconstructed, this time in the form of a three-naved basilica with pillars and arches in tufa and a wooden truss roof. The cathedral was subjected to various seiges, especially during the defence of the Genovese territory. In time, the roof was replaced with vaults resting on Romanesque pillars, and the three apses and the octagonal baptistry were rebuilt. The bell tower dates from 1150: the lower part resembles a robust fortification tower while higher up it is typically Baroque. The most significant restoration took place between 1968 and 1970, after which the church was reopened for worship. The restoration took the cathedral back to its original lines so that it became one of Liguria’s most important Romanesque monuments of the 11th-12th centuries, thanks largely to its splendid state of preservation. Inside there are works of some value, including an altar-piece by Giovanni Carlone (1564 - 1630), a 15th C crucifix, and marble statue by Domenico Parodi (1668 - 1740) and many others.