The first cathedral at Piacenza, the Domus Justinae, collapsed after an earthquake in 1117. The current building was constructed between 1122 and 1233. A document of 1123 describes Bishop Sigifredo as its founder. The article calls it one of the most valuable Romanesque cathedrals in northern Italy.
The facade is Veronese pink marble and gilded stone, divided by a gallery over three portals. The interior has a nave and two aisles divided by twenty-five massive pillars. The cathedral is 279 feet (85 meters) long, with a facade 105 feet (32 meters) high. Frescoes by Camillo Procaccini and Ludovico Carracci cover the walls, and Guercino painted the dome.
The crypt has a Greek cross plan with 108 small columns and holds the relics of Saint Justina of Padua. It is the seat of the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio.
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