San Biagio

San Biagio is a Roman Catholic basilica in Finalborgo, a historic quarter of Finale Ligure on the Ligurian coast. The church stands where a small medieval church once stood, first mentioned in 1261. A larger Gothic church was built inside the town walls between 1372 and 1375. After damage in the late 16th century, the present Baroque church was constructed between 1633 and 1659 to a design by Andrea Storace. The basilica has a Latin-cross plan, three naves, and a crossing dome. Its plain façade hides an interior rich in Baroque and Rococo art. The high altar of 1799 features a marble cloth carved to look like embroidery. A marble pulpit from 1765 is attributed to Pasquale Bocciardo. Frescoes by Francesco Semino and Domenico Buscaglia adorn the dome and choir vault, with later work by Luigi Gainotti and Antonio Bertolotto. Visitors enter through the uncompleted front and walk past the preserved octagonal bell tower. The side aisles hold several altars and paintings, including large copies after Raphael and Rubens by Pier Lorenzo Spoleti. The apsidal chapels from the 14th-century church survive between the new building and the town wall. The simple exterior contrasts with the elaborate decorations inside.