L'Aquila - San Bernardino

L'Aquila is located about 700 meters high in the valley of the Aterno. It is dominated on all sides by the mountains of Abruzzo, including to the east the Gran Sasso d'Italia, the highest mountain in mainland Italy outside the Alps.

In 1230, Emperor Frederick II founded Aquila on the site of - according to tradition - 99 villages. Since then, the number 99 has a special meaning for the Aquilians. The city walls were completely built in 1316.

In the 15th century it had about 8000 inhabitants and was the most important fortress of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1528 the city was conquered by Emperor Charles V for the Spanish crown. After the earthquake of 1786, the city was partially rebuilt in the Baroque style.

On April 6, 2009, an earthquake destroyed large parts of the city. There were 308 fatalities, and about 1,500 people were injured. Around 65,000 people were rendered homeless

The then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immediately promised help to the earthquake victims of L'Aquila. There is circumstantial evidence that the mafia has infiltrated the authorities and is leaking aid money. It took almost five years for construction work to begin in L'Aquila.

The earthquake in April 2009 seriously ruined the basilica`s apse, the campanile, the longitudinal walls and the adjacent cloister. The cost of rebuilding was evaluated at over 40 million euros. With lots of public support it was done in six years and in 2015, the basilica was reopened to the community.

Saint Bernardine, who, although he was seriously sick, in 1444 went to Aquila to try to reconcile two adversarial groups, died there and the citizens attained by Pope Eugene IV the authorization to guard the corpse of the saint.

The works began in 1454 with the realization of the cupola, later began the building of the facade under the direction of Silvestro dall'Aquila. When he died in 1504, the works stopped for twenty years. In 1524, the job was taken by Cola dell'Amatrice, and the church was completed in 1542.

After the earthquake in 1703, the inside of the church was completely rebuilt in Baroque style.