Noli belongs to “Italy’s Finest Medieval Villages”, too . It is mentioned by Dante in his Purgatory and has got an illustrious past as the 5th maritime republic. The perfectly preserved historic centre with its XIII/XIV-century towers and elegant palazzi is dominated by the Ursino Castle, which belonged to the Del Carretto margraves. The Romanesque Saint Paragorio cathedral, outside the defensive walls, has been a national monument since 1890.