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Origin and history

The pro-Cathedral Sainte-Marie de Bastia found its origins in the construction of a first church, Santa Maria della Consolazione, built between 1489 and 1510 under the leadership of Genoese Governor Leonello Lomellini. This place of worship, backed by a rock (Santa Maria l-Arrimbata), became cathedral in 1570 when Bishop Centurione established his seat there, merging the dioceses of Mariana and Accia. However, the Franco-Genoese wars of the 16th century severely damaged the building, making it unstable.

The present cathedral was rebuilt between 1604 and 1625 under the direction of Bishop Geronimo del Pozzo, then by his nephew Giulio del Pozzo, who consecrated it in 1625. The works, financed in part by a legacy of Captain Giovanni Pasquale Corso, experienced hazards, such as the collapse of the vaults in 1611. The building adopted a three-nave plan inspired by the Canonica of Lucciana, with a deep choir welcoming the thrones of the Bishop and the Genoese governor, symbol of their shared power.

Sainte-Marie played a major political role as a place of transfer of power between Genoese governors. At a grand ceremony inspired by the Spanish court, the outgoing governor handed over the keys and scepter of the Kingdom of Corsica to his successor on a silver platter. The cathedral, richly decorated with golden stucco and polychrome marbles in the 19th century, also houses remarkable works, such as the Silver Virgin (300 kg) carved by Gaetano Macchi in 1866, or paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Ranked a historic monument in 2000, the pro-cathedral preserves genoese baroque elements, such as its renovated facade in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its campanile (38 m), built in 1620, and its 19th century organs (brother Serassi) bear witness to its past prestige. Today, it remains a symbol of Corsican religious and historical heritage, linked to the Genoese era and the transition to French domination.

The building is part of an urban complex marked by the Citadel of Bastia, founded in 1380, and the other churches of the city (Saint John the Baptist, Saint Croix). Its history reflects tensions between Genoa, France and local authorities, as well as the importance of Bastia as the administrative and religious capital of pre-modern Corsica.

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