Luni Cathedral

Luni Cathedral, previously the Pieve of Santa Maria, was located in Luni, in Liguria, Italy, near the port. According to archaeological discoveries the church was built by the Romans in the late 4th and early 5th century and was the centre of the Diocese of Luni.

Map of the area of Luni in the 16th century

The cathedral was mentioned for the first time in a document of 879 by Carloman, King of Italy. Up to the 12th century it underwent several restorations before being abandoned along with the city in the early 13th century, when the seat of the Bishop of Luni was transferred to Sarzana, where in the course of time Sarzana Cathedral was built and replaced that of Luni, which eventually fell entirely into ruin. Despite this, until well into the 13th century the bishops of Luni celebrated mass annually in the remains of the old cathedral.