Town in the province of Imperia, built around the castle, which at present is in ruins. The centre is a complex of three concentric circles of fortified walls, which feature inside each a series of civil and religious buildings of great prestige, that reflect the great political and economic power that the city acquired over the centuries. The village is dense with houses built in height, as if to save as much space as possible and abrupt level changes determined by the steep staircases that create corners of great beauty. This area was surrounded by the first ring of medieval walls with three major entrance gates. The second ring, also of medieval times, was built lower down and had four gates, the streets inside are cobbled or paved with stone and there are a lot of fine buildings. The lower perimeter wall, built in the XVI century, was created with the intention to enclose within them the entire village that stretched up to the valley of the river Argentina. Inside this area the buildings are considered the most important of the whole complex.
Already in pre-Roman times it is considered that human settlements were present in the territory, probably the area was chosen as the place of worship of the god Belleno. In the Grange area tombs dating to the period between the X and VII centuries B.C. have been found. It was the military headquarters and an important Roman trading port. The town was besieged by troops of Onorio and those of King Rotari. It was the year 690 when the first settlement disappeared after a landslide and the population moved to the area of Tabia, more inland and sheltered to the location where previously the fortifications had been built.
All these battlements, however, did not prevent a second destruction of the town by the Saracens in the year 889. Rebuilt in 1153, Tabia was submitted to the Clavesana Family and shortly after it was transferred to the Republic of Genoa. Town with its own autonomy and council since 1273, the nearby lands became part of its dominions. Faithful ally of the Republic of Genoa, the town followed the fate and later it was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the one of Italy.

Not to miss:
The Sanctuary of Our Lady Miraculous in the main center.
The Capuchin monastery of the XVII century.
The Church of the Holy Trinity in 1475.
The Church of Saints Sebastian and Fabian in 1454.
The Church of St. Martin of Tours with its Romanesque frescoes of the XV century.
The Convent of San Domenico, built between 1460 and 1490 by master Gasperini da Lancia and Filippo da Carlono. Inside it preserves twelve altars, five paintings of the artist Ludovico Brea, artworks by Gregorio De Ferrari, Giovanni Battista Trotti, Raffaele De Rossi, Giovanni Canavesio and other artists.
The Basilica of St. James and St. Philip, built between 1675 and 1681, on the ruins of an XI century Romanesque church, to which belonged many of the artworks, now present in the more recent construction. The church has fourteen side chapels and houses the relics of St. Benedict.
The Church of Our Lady of Canneto dating from the X century. Inside it features wall paintings of 1547 attributed to Francesco Brea, Giovanni and Luca Cambiaso.
The Palaces: Anfossi, built in 1578, Vivaldi in 1458, Pastorelli, Asdente in 1473, Curlo in 1448 with a portico with splendid Gothic arches, Curlo-Ramoretto destroyed and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1887 and Curlo-Spinola in 1636, which features an elegant stucco decor, with drawing attributed to Bernini.
The triangular shaped square Gastaldi with its arcades, onto which faces the Parish Church and the Palace Anfossi-Imperiale.