Tropea's Norman cathedral dominates the highest point of the clifftop town. The current structure dates primarily from the 12th century, though it has been extensively modified over the following centuries and rebuilt after a major earthquake. The facade is straightforward Romanesque, but the interior is richer — gilded side chapels, a carved wooden pulpit, and the venerated icon of the Madonna di Romania, for which the cathedral is chiefly known.
Embedded into the outer wall of the cathedral is a surprising relic: two American aerial bombs from World War II that failed to detonate and were subsequently defused. They are displayed as a votive offering and a memento of a raid that could have destroyed the town. The cathedral is open most days without charge; a small donation is appreciated.