Chiesa di Sant'Anna ai Monti

The hillside Church of Sant'Anna ai Monti in Alassio is traditionally identified as the town's first parish church, though documentary records first mention it in 1435.

Why it matters

The church lies in the Regione Monti area along the route of the ancient Via Julia Augusta. Local tradition assigns it an early role as Alassio's first parish, while surviving records establish its existence by 1435. That distinction between devotional memory and documentary evidence is part of the site's history.

What to notice

Parts of the building are cut into the rock. Restoration between 1968 and 1970 revealed fifteenth-century frescoes, including Christ Pantocrator within a mandorla and a fragment depicting Saint Anne. The hillside setting also links the church with the Roman road corridor above Alassio.

Context and history

The church is first documented in 1435, although tradition places its foundation much earlier and associates it with Alassio's first parish. It remained a place of worship until the Napoleonic period, when it passed into private ownership and was later used for agricultural purposes. Restoration in 1968–1970 brought the frescoes to light. The building is listed in the national cultural-property catalogue and is protected by the Superintendency for Imperia and Savona.