Medieval hares and rabbits

Avignon was Greek Emporium around 539 BC. Much later it became a Roman colony, named "Colonia Julia Hadriana Avenniensis". During the migration period the Goths looted the town and in 472 Avignon was sacked by the Burgundians. In 500 Clovis I, King of the Franks besieged Avignon as his arch-enemy Gondebaud had taken refuge here. Clovis devastated the fields, cut down the vines and olive trees, and destroyed the orchards. In 734 it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by Charles Martel´s Franks. Avignon recovered and in 916 King of Provence Louis the Blind restored the churches of Saint-Ruf and Saint-Géniès to the diocese of Avignon. At the end of the 9th century, Avignon suffered again by Muslim attacks. After the division of Charlemagne´s empire, Avignon was owned jointly by the Count of Provence and the Count of Toulouse. In 1135 the rights were resigned to the local Bishops and Consuls. At the end of the 12th century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic. When in 1226, the citizens refused to open the gates to King Louis VIII of France, the French besieged the Avignon and after it was captured forced it to pull down its ramparts . In 1271, Philip III of France inherited Avignon and passed it to his son Philip the Fair in 1285. It passed in turn in 1290 to Charles II of Naples. The University of Avignon was founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303 and was famed as a seat of legal studies, flourishing until the French Revolution. In 1309 the city was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence at the time of the Council of Vienne. Avignon, rather than Rome was the seat of the Papacy. It became the Pontifical residence under Pope Clement V in 1309. His successor, John XXII made it the capital of Christianity and transformed the former episcopal palace into the primary Palace of the Popes. Under the Papal rule, the Court seethed and attracted many painters, sculptors and musicians. The Gothic palace was the result of the joint work of the best French architects. The papal library in Avignon was the largest in Europe in the 14th century with 2,000 volumes. Gregory XI decided to return to Rome. His death caused the Great Schism. Clement VII and Benedict XIII reigned again in Avignon. Overall it was nine popes who succeeded in the papal palace. Avignon was a papal possession up to the French Revolution. --- The construction of the strongly fortified Palais, that is one of the largest medieval structures in Europe, began in 1252. The Palais was built in two phases with two distinct segments, known as the "Palais Vieux" and "Palais Neuf". By the time of its completion, it occupied an area of 11,000 m². The Palais Vieux was constructed by Pierre Poisson of Mirepoix at the instruction of Pope Benedict XII. Benedict had the original episcopal palace razed and replaced with a much larger building centred on a cloister, heavily fortified against attackers. Under Popes Clement VI, Innocent VI and Urban V, the building was expanded to form what is now known as the Palais Neuf. After the Popes finally returned to Rome, the Palais (and the city) remained under papal control, but the state Palais gradually deteriorated. In 1789 it was seized and sacked by revolutionary forces. Under Napoleon the Palais was used as a military barracks and prison. Many small items, that were found after 1906, when the Palais was converted into a museum, are on display. One is this glazed tile - with a hare.

I have uploaded already many photos taken in Chauvigny, so I will cut it down for now. Just a few. A small community of Canons in Chauvigny was founded by the Seigneurs de Chauvigny around 1025. Bishop Isembert I of Poitiers (+ 1047) was a Seigneur de Chauvigny, as well as his sucessor. The erection of the Collegiate church started end of the 11th century. It took about a century to complete the structure. The church was in the centre of the heavily fortified stronghold, that has a long history of sieges, lootings captures and recaptures. The "Cité Médiéval" was in ruins end of the 18th century. Mid 19th century the restoration process started. Since then the interior of Saint-Pierre is known for the capitals, that are indeed extraordinary. They all have this distinctive colour-scheme of white and red. I will not uplaod them again, just "search" them in my stream. Here is a little scene from outside. A hare hunted by a dog awaited by a very strange chimaera. The creature has the head of a dog and the body of a fish. Below some snakes..

The "Abbazia di San Leonardo in Lama Volara" (aka "San Leonardo di Siponto") was probably founded at the end of the 11th century. It is dedicated to Saint Leonard of Noblac, a popular "Norman" saint. The monastery initially served as a hospice for pilgrims on their way to the Saint Michael Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo, an important pilgrimage site since the early Middle Ages. Later it also served as a place for travellers on their way to the Holy Land during the Crusades. Since 1127 Augustinian canons worked here, in 1261, the Teutonic Order took over the meanwhile dilapidated hospice and made the monastery to their centre of activities in Apulia. The Teutonic Order left in the second half of the 15th century. Some scholars claim, that the portal is one of the finest in Apulia. It opens to the road, where the pilgrims came along (today SS89). The left capitals of the portals have Saint Michael killing the dragon and Balaam, the donkey and the angel. Below the hoofs of Balaam's donkey are a small, hunting centaur and a gigantic hare.

Troia was probably founded by Greek settlers under the name of Aecae. The current Troia was founded as a fortified town in 1018 the by the Byzantine general Basil Boiannes. For long it was a stronghold against the Normans and got besieged by the emperors Henry II and Frederick II, who destroyed the town in 1229. He did not touch the "Concattedrale della Beata Vergine Maria Assunta in Cielo", erected in the first quarter of the 12th century where a Byzantine church formerly stood, that was apparently constructed largely from the remains of Roman buildings. The Concattedrale di Troia, once the seat of the Bishops of Troia, now a co-cathedral in the diocese of Lucera-Troia, is reckoned a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque architecture. In particular it is noted for the bronze doors of the main portal and the side portal, created in 1119 by Oderisio da Benevento in niello technique. The masons and stone carvers left masterly works. Over the windows are medallions. Here are two depicting a hare in a vineyard and a well-dressed manticore.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the island was invaded by the Vandals in 425. The time of the Vandals ended, when Byzantine troops general took the island in 534. The first Muslim arrivals were in 707. These ended the Byzantine domination and established their own hegemony. Until 903, the island was part of the Umayyad Caliphate. From Between 902 and 1229 the island was under Islamic control. James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor") conquered Mallorca in December 1229. San Juan Bautista was erected in 1248. End of the 16th century it had a defense tower. Over the years it underwent various reforms and in 1867 , the old church collapsed and a new construction began. It was completed in 1896 and resulted in a mixture of styles, of which the neoclassical one stands out with neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic elements. Some capitals of the church's capitals may date back to the 13th century, but this one, depicting a dog and a hare surrounded by foliage may be much younger.

Lindau, located near the borders to Austria and Switzerland, was mentioned first time in 882 when a nunnery was founded here. The old town is on an island, which meanwhile is connected with the mainland by a road bridge and a railway dam. The church of St. Stephan was built around 1180, Franciscans founded a monastery here in 1224. In 1274/75 Lindau became an Imperial Free City under King Rudolf I. Lindau became Protestant in 1528. The nunnery remained Catholic while the Franciscan monastery, from which the first Reformation preachers came, was closed. During the Thirty Years' War, Lindau was unsuccessfully besieged by Swedish troops in 1646/47. Between 1445 and 1761, 18 people were indicted in witch trials in Lindau. The last victim of the witch hunt was Maria Madlener, who was executed on August 4, 1730. The construction of the church started around 1000 in the centre of an early fishing settlement hence the Petrus patronage, the saint is the patron saint of fishermen. St. Peter lost its importance after the completion of St. Stephan, the new parish church on the island in 1180. The building was used by a Beguine-like convent, dedicated to the care of the sick. Already within the 16th century the church got profaned and was used as a storage. In the beginning of the 20th century wood and coal was stored here. Since 1928 the former church is a war memorial. The murals were rediscovered in 1849. A first restoraten was undertaken in 1921, when all post-Reformation fixtures and extensions got removed. In the centre of the apse is a younger "Coronation of Mary", seen above is Christ judging. He sends the believers to the left side, where they are awaiting everlasting bliss, while all others are sent to the right side, where they are awaited by devils, who look like hares (just like in Conque and Koenigslutter). They are pushed into the hell´s mouth and will go to everlasting condemnation.

Already Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, may have funded a church, erected over the tomb of Saint Zeno, who, following the legends, was born in Mauretania and died around 380 in Verona. The erection of the present church began in the 9th century. Soon after San Zeno´s relics were translated into the new church. At that time Charlemagne´s son Pepin (aka "Pepin of Italy") resided in Verona and a large Benedictine monastery grew all around the church. When the Magyars invaded Italy in the early 10th century, the church got severely damaged, but the relics were not harmed, as they had been taken out and were hidden. In 967, a new church was built with the patronage of Otto I. On January 3, 1117, the church was damaged by an earthquake, that ruined so many buildings in Northern Italy. The church was restored and got enlarged in 1138. The façade is striking! It was created in two different stages. The portico and the portal were carved before 1138 by Niccolò (see "Duomo de Verona") and his school. During the second half of the 12th century Master Guglielmo ("Gugliemus") completed the facade. Here is the narrative´s "last" relief of right side, carved by Master Guglielmo. The expulsion from the Garden of Eden has taken place. Adam is preparing a field with a hack. Eve holds a spindle - and breastfeeds Cain and Abel. Above them the lion harpist.

Bergamo was the settlement of a Celtic tribe but got conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. Looted by Attila´s troops in the 5th century, it became the capital of a Lombardian duchy a century later. After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, the Franks ruled here. End of the 11th century Bergamo had become an independent commune, with a lot of feuding between the local the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. In 1428 Bergamo was ceded in 1428 by the Duchy of Milan to the Republic of Venice and was transformed into a fortified city, protecting the trade routes leading into the Rhine Valley. The French Revolutionary Army ended more than three centuries of Venetian rule in 1797. Bergamo was part of the "Cisalpine Republic". At Congress of Vienna, Bergamo was assigned to the (Austrian) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia. Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered Bergamo in 1859. The city was incorporated into the newly founded Kingdom of Italy. Bergamo´s two centres are the Città alta ("upper city"), a hilltop medieval town, and the Città bassa ("lower city"). Next to the Duomo di Bergamo, opening to the Piazza Duomo, is the "Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore". The church was founded in 1137 on the site of aan older church and the altar was consecrated in 1185, but during the 13th and 15th century the works slowed down and the Romanesque church never got completed. Many chapels were added later. Santa Maria Maggiore´s porch was created by Giovanni da Campione in 1353. He was a member of the "Maestri Campionesi" (aka "Scuola Campionese") all originating from Campione, a small Italian exclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino. Seen here is a detail of the porch. Note the hunt all over the archivolt.

Milan is the city capital of the Lombardy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. Known during Roman times as "Mediolanum" it was the place, where in 313 Constantine I and Licinius met and "signed" the "Edict of Milan", giving Christianity a legal status within the Roman empire. At the end of the Roman empire Milan was besieged by the Visigoths in 402, looted by the Huns in 452, and taken by the Ostrogoths in 539. Only 30 years later is belonged to the Kingdom of the Lombards, until in 774 Charlemagne defeated the Langobards and added Milan to the Carolingian empire. During Barbarossa´s (Frederik I) "Italian Campaigns" Milan was taken and destroyed to a great extent. The "Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio" is much older and was not destroyed by Barbarossa´s troops. It is one of the most ancient churches in Milan, built by St. Ambrose in 379–386, outside the city of Milan on the site of a cemetery, where the martyrs of the Roman persecutions had been buried. The first name of the church was "Basilica Martyrum". Ambrose, born into a noble family about 340 in (present-day) Trier (Germany), was governor of Liguria and Emilia for two years before he became the Bishop of Milan in 374 by popular acclamation. He was a staunch opponent of Arianism. Only very few traces of the first church can still be found, as in the centuries after its construction, the basilica underwent numerous restorations and reconstructions. The current Romanesque church, mostly built in brickwork, was begun around 1080. In 789, a Benedictine monastery was established here. The canons of the basilica, however, retained their own community. So two separate communities shared the basilica. In the 11th century, the canons adopted orders and became Canons Regular. From then on two separate monastic orders following different rules lived in the basilica. The canons were in the northern building, the cloister of the canons, while the monks were in the two southern buildings. The two towers symbolize the division in the basilica. The 9th century Torre dei Monaci ("Tower of the Monks") tower was used by the monks. However, the canons did not have a bell tower and were not allowed to ring bells until they finished the Canons' bell tower in the 12th Century. This tower got two additional levels in 1889. In 1943 the basilica got severely damaged by bombings. It took a decade to rebuilt and reconstruct the church. In front of the basilica is the atrium, where originally the catechumens gathered during the mass. As they were not yet baptized, they were not allowed to enter the basilica. When they were waiting here, they could contemplate about the monsters and animals, that populate the capitals and lintels all around. The intricate, unusual main portal is protected by a narthex. This capital is left of the wooden doors. A musician, playing the harp, and a female dancer. "Profane music" has been a sinful pursuit during medieval times, but of course it did exist. Between the couple is a dog-like creature that seems to breath fire (from hell).

...The phantastic carvings show two hares, having caught the hunter. I remember that the tympanon in Conques (France) shows two evil looking hares roasting the hunter...

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession. Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century. A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status +of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful, The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings. In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages. - William II of Sicily built from 1172 here a fort-like complex of buildings, which included a cathedral, an archepiscopal palace, a royal palace and a Benedictine monastery. In 1183 the monastery became the seat of the archdiocese of Monreale. The town then developed around this complex. According to a legend, William fell asleep while hunting. The Holy Virgin appeared to him in a dream, suggesting him to build a church here. After removing a tree, a treasure was found, whose coins were used to finance the construction. Well, it is much more likely that Monreale was founded in competition with the bishop of Palermo, who had commissioned the large Cathedral of Palermo. This would explain the vast dimensions and the splendour of the "Duomo di Monreale" and the adjoining cloister, the only structures of the large complex, that survived the times. The cloister (completed ~ 1200) measures 47x47 metres. Each side has 26 arches resting on columns. The carvings of the capitals (and the columns) are very detailed and complex, the themes vary and some capitals are "hard to read" and interpret. There are literally thousands of small details carved into the stones of pillars and capitals. Here are just a few of them.

Ventimiglia is the Italian border town to France. It is located at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts. It was a Roman municipium under the name of Albintimilium and was surrounded by a city wall a prosperous town. Already in 670, the town held the seat of a Bishop. Later it was besieged by the Byzantines and the Goths and suffered from the raids of the Lombards. In the 10th century, it was attacked and looted by the Saracens. Ventimiglia was ruled by the local counts but lived in constant conflict with the Republic of Genoa. In 1505 it was finally annexed to the Genoese Republic was part of the republic until 1814, when it was taken over by the Kingdom of Sardinia. - The Cathedral of Ventimiglia was erected between the 11th and 12th century on the ruins of a previous cathedral of the Lombard / Carolingian period. This again had been built on the site of a Roman temple dedicated to Juno. The Chapter of the Cathedral was confirmed by Pope Lucius III in 1182. Originally the church had a single nave, but already in the 12th century, it got completely rebuilt with three naves. The portal with the pointed arch seen here is from the 13th century. The capitals, that flank the doors are clearly Romanesque. Hares eating or torturing men are a strange subject. I remember them from Conques and from Koenigslutter.

The Cahors Cathedral was erected between 1080 and 1135. It got consecrated by Pope Calixtus II in 1119. The same pope, who two years later could imprison his rival "Antipope" Gregory VIII. Four years later, Calixtus ended the Investiture Controversy by agreeing with Emperor Henry V on the Concordat of Worms. During the times of medieval pilgrimage, this cathedral was an important place on the "Via Podiensis", as the "Sainte Coiffe" could be venerated here. This "Holy Headdress" was believed to have been used during Jesus' burial. Legends tell, that it had been given to the Bishop of Cahors by Charlemagne, but what is more likely it was brought to Cahors by Bishop Gerard de Cardillac after his trip to the Holy Land in 1113. A relic similar to the "Shroud of Turin". Prominent features are the two domes (a third one collapsed in the 13th century) and this Romanesque portal on the northern side. It was widely discussed, whether it was once moved from the west to this location, but since the 1980s it is proven (Bratke, Durliat), that it was constructed (after 1140) for the northern side, where it is still today. The portal was walled up 1732 and got "rediscovered" in 1840, so it survived the furore of the Revolution. Hunting scenes on the right side of the archivolt.

Parma was most probably founded by the Etruscans. The Romans founded a colony here. During the Roman Empire, it gained the title of Julia for its loyalty to the imperial house. Attila sacked the city in 452 and during the Gothic War Totila Attila sacked the city in 452 and during the Gothic War Totila destroyed it again. It was then part of the Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna and, from 569, of the Lombard Kingdom of Italy. During the Middle Ages, Parma became an important stage of the Via Francigena, the main road connecting Rome to Northern Europe. Under Frankish rule, Parma was nominally a part of the Holy Roman Empire created by Charlemagne but locally ruled by its bishops. After the Peace of Constance in 1183 confirmed the Italian communes' rights of self-governance, quarrels with the neighboring communes became harsh, with the aim of controlling the vital trading line over the Po River. The city was besieged in 1247–48 by Emperor Frederick II, who was however crushed in the Battle of Parma by the Lombard League. In 1331, the city submitted to King John of Bohemia. Parma fell under the control of Milan in 1341. After a short-lived period of independence, the Sforza imposed their rule creating a kind of feudalism. A basilica existed probably already in the 6th century but was later abandoned. From 860, St. Mary's Church was built nearby, which became the cathedral. After its destruction by fire, the construction of today's cathedral began in 1059 by bishop Cadalo, who was later antipope with the name of Honorius II. The new church was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1117 and had to be restored. Archivolte with animals. On the right a hare.

Due to its location and importance, Benevento was an important base for Roman rule in southern Italy for centuries. After the expansion of the Lombards, Benevento became the seat of Lombard dukes but repeatedly fell into dependence on the Franks and the German emperors. In 840, Benevento was occupied by the Muslims for a few years. The city has been the seat of the Archbishopric of Benevento since 969. In 1047 it fell into the hands of Norman princes with the exception of the city, which Emperor Henry III gave to Leo IX in 1053. In the 11th and 12th centuries, four councils were held in Benevento. On February 26, 1266, in the Battle of Benevento, the Hohenstaufen Manfred, natural son of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, was defeated by Charles of Anjou, after which the latter seized Apulia, Sicily, and Tuscia. Santa Sofia was founded by the Lombard Arechis II of Benevento around 760. The church is a rotunda 28 m in diameter with an original star-shaped outline. The church was modeled on the Palatine Chapel of the Lombard king Liutprand in Pavia and, after the defeat of Desiderius by Charlemagne and the fall of the Lombard kingdom in northern Italy in 774, it became the national church of the Lombards who had taken shelter in the Duchy of Benevento. After the earthquakes of 1688 and 1702, Pope Benedict VIII had the church rebuilt, changing it in the Baroque style. In particular, he had the course of the outer walls made circular. Santa Sofia included a monastery built between 1142 and 1176. Parts of the previous building from the 8th century, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 986, were reused. These buildings now house the Museo del Sannio. Its most remarkable part is the Romanesque cloister, which clearly shows Arabic influences. A female hare suckles her baby cub.

Bari was an early settlement and passed under Roman rule in the 3rd century BC. It developed strategic significance as the point of junction between the coast road and the Via Traiana and as a port for eastward trade. The first bishop of Bari was Gervasius who is known from the Council of Sardica in 347. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the town was devasted and taken by Alaric´s Visigothic troops, then was under Lombardian rule, before the Byzantines took over. In 755 it was conquered by Pepin the Short (Charlemagne´s father) and from 847 on it was an Islamic Emirate. The Byzantine fleet returned in 871 and since 885 Bari was the residence of the local Byzantine governor. Following a three-year siege, Bari was captured by Robert Guiscard in 1071. After the relics of Saint Nicholas, which were brought from Myra in Lycia, arrived in Bari, the Basilica di San Nicola was founded in 1087. This attracted pilgrims, whose encouragement and care became central to the economy of Bari. After the murder of archbishop Griso in 1117 a civil war broke our and the control was seized by Grimoald Alferanites, a native Lombard, in opposition to the Normans. He later did homage to Roger II of Sicily, but rebelled and was defeated in 1132. The Castello Normanno-Svevo (aka "Castello di Bari") was probably built around 1132 by Norman King Roger II. When in 1155 the Baresi rebelled against the Normans, the castle got destroyed, so as a retaliatory action, William I of Sicily (aka "William the Wicked") had the city destroyed except for the cathedral and the Basilica of St. Nicola. Bari recovered and had its heydays under Frederick II. When he returned from his crusade after 1229, the city gates were locked so he had to use force to gain entry. Therefore, he probably had the fort built in 1233 to keep the city in check. On the other hand, he granted the city generous trade privileges and left it the leading role in the region. The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. So the basilica was built between 1087 and 1197 in the area previously occupied by the Byzantine Catapan. The whole cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". One of the capitals in the crypt. A hare is caught by a dog. Both are about the same size. I have already uploaded many photos I took in Bari during previous visits, so I will only upload a few. If you want to see more, click here: www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1333318

A settlement named Norba existed in the early times. It was conquered by the Romans in 268 BC and seems to have been abandoned around the time of the Visigothic invasion of Italy around 410. The town recovered and was a bishopric seat from the 7th century on. This new town gained importance under the name Conversano, when, in 1054, the Norman lord Geoffrey, assumed the title of "Count of Conversano". He turned Conversano into the capital of a large county. After the count's death in 1101, the county was inherited by his sons Robert and Alexander. Alexander got defeated in 1132 by Roger II of Sicily, and the county was assigned to Roger`s brother in law Robert I of Basseville. The cathedral was built in the 11th and 12th centuries on the site of an old place of worship and an earlier church. In 1358-1379 it was rebuilt, keeping its original form, and additional sculptures were added, especially on the facade. The gable facade is divided into three parts with pilasters, in the upper part, there is a twelve-light rose window from the 15th century. The middle of the three portals is richly decorated with sculptures. The late Romanesque tympanum has fantastic archivolts. A detail - a hare being caught by a griffin.

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. Santa Maria Paganica`s construction dates back to the first years of the 14th century, but the church has been restored several times over time, especially after earthquakes, including the devastating earthquake of 1703. The 2009 earthquake completely tore apart the building, causing part of the side chapels and quickly the entire roof to collapse. A hare is chased by a dog