The history of the cathedral begins in August 1487 when the citizens asked for the construction of a new cathedral to replace the medieval buildings.
Cardinal Ascanio Sforza received permission from Pope Innocent VIII in 1488 to demolish the ancient cathedral and supervise the project.
The architecture of the cathedral follows a central plan with arms converging under a large central dome, influenced by structures such as the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence and the studies of Leonardo da Vinci. Donato Bramante initially led the project, while subsequent architects made some changes while maintaining Bramante's original ideas.
The construction of the dome was resolved at the end of the nineteenth century by Carlo Maciachini, who chose a masonry dome with a Greek cross plan.
The Cathedral of Pavia, completed in 1885, has an imposing façade surmounted by a dome and a loggia inside. The interior has a Greek cross structure with four arms divided into three naves. The dome is supported by eight elaborately shaped pillars, while all the other pillars have the same design. The presbytery is illuminated by high windows with frescoes and an image of the Assumption. The completion of the Cathedral involved several construction phases, including the addition of a reinforced concrete transept in the 20th century by several architects and engineers.