The Santa Caterina Complex in Finalborgo is one of the most extraordinary sites in western Liguria, where centuries of history are woven into a fascinating architectural ensemble. It was founded in 1359 at the behest of the Del Carretto family, who chose this spot on the outskirts of the medieval village as a monumental burial ground and centre of worship.

From the outset, the complex was entrusted to the Dominicans, the order founded by Dominic of Guzmán, and became an important religious and cultural landmark. The medieval church featured a three-nave structure with columns in Pietra di Finale and an apse facing the village. Access was via two Gothic portals on the side facing the square, still visible today: the main one, known as the ‘women’s portal’, and the smaller one, the ‘men’s portal’, both richly decorated.

Inside, in the chapel of Santa Maria degli Oliveri, one of the complex’s most precious cycles of paintings is preserved, dating from the late 14th century, depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin and the Passion of Christ, attributed to masters of the Tuscan school. The Gothic bell tower, a distinctive feature of Finalborgo’s skyline, lost its spire during the 1887 earthquake; it has since been rebuilt in a contemporary style.

Between the late 15th and early 16th centuries, thanks in part to the efforts of Cardinal Carlo Domenico Del Carretto, the complex was extended with the construction of two Renaissance cloisters. Elegant and harmonious, with decorated columns and capitals, these spaces represent one of the most significant examples of Ligurian Renaissance architecture of Lombard origin.

Over the centuries, the complex went through varying fortunes: from the decline that followed the political upheavals in the region to the Napoleonic suppression of 1802. After a brief return of the monks, in 1864 it was definitively converted into a prison, a function it retained until the 20th century. It was during this period that the buildings underwent major alterations, and the bell tower was converted into punishment cells, which can still be visited today.

From the 1970s onwards, a major restoration project breathed new life into the complex. Today, Santa Caterina is a vibrant cultural centre: the ancient church has been transformed into an auditorium, whilst the convent buildings house the Finale Archaeological Museum, the public library and exhibition spaces such as the Oratory of the Disciplinanti.

The Santa Caterina Complex thus stands as a perfect example of the regeneration of historical heritage: from a medieval convent to a prison, and finally becoming one of the most important cultural hubs in Liguria, where past and present engage in a surprising dialogue.