"It is the main church of the Archdiocese of Monaco. As a result, it is an important element of Monegasque identity, "a symbol of a strong attachment to our roots and our Christian faith" according to Prince Albert II.
It hosts pontifical offices during major religious holidays as well as for Sainte-Dévote (January 27) and the National Day (November 19) whose patronage his father, Prince Rainier III, recognized.
The cathedral was built on the ruins of the Saint-Nicolas6 church, itself built in 1252, then destroyed in 1874.
The first stone of the current cathedral was laid on January 6, 1875 and the work was completed on November 12, 1903. It was consecrated in 1911.
This Roman-Byzantine style cathedral was built in white stones from La Turbie from 1875 by Prince Charles III on the site of the former Saint-Nicolas church, and dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
Its length is 72 meters, its width 22 meters and its height 18 meters.
The building materials used are stone from La Turbie, the red and blue porphyry comes from the Estérel, the green and the granite come from the Vosges, the granite of the choir comes from Biella and the marble from Carrara.
The cathedral houses three chapels, the chapel of the relics of Sainte Dévote, patroness of the princely family, the Principality and the Diocese of Monaco, the chapel of Saint-Roman, shepherd and soldier martyr and protector of the Principality and the chapel of Saint -Sacrament, funeral chapel of the bishops and archbishops of Monaco.
The stained glass windows in the high windows of the nave show women from the Old Testament and those in the side naves depict scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary."