The Cathedral of Cremona was built in the 12th century, beginning in 1185 to be exact, after the destruction wrought by Barbarossa, and is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta.

The original building had a basilica layout with three apsidal naves. Its ruins, discovered in the years 1952-59 during the restoration of the cathedral, are now partly visible from the crypt. However, the Cathedral that stands today achieved its modern appearance through subsequent modifications, primarily thanks to the work carried out between 1284 and 1341 by the Masters of Como, under the direction of Maestro Giacomo di Gabbiano and Horace da Prata.

The pre-existing Romanesque church was embellished to include a Gothic structure, which makes the Cremona Cathedral one of the most outstanding examples of religious architecture of Northern Italy. Many paintings can also be admired inside.

Its location in Piazza del Comune, the heart of the medieval city, testifies to the profound bond between religious and political power that existed at the time: the fact that the cathedral is located in Cremona's government centre is certainly no coincidence, nor that it shares the square with town hall.