L'Aquila - Santa Maria del Suffragio

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 construction of this church was begun on October 10, 1713, ten years after the 1703 L'Aquila earthquake ruined the Confraternita del Suffragio's former seat.

The building, whose execution was entrusted to the architect Carlo Buratti, was completed after several construction phases. In 1770 began the realization of the facade by Gianfrancesco Leomporri, while the dome was added in 1805 by Giuseppe Valadier.

The church was severely damaged by the earthquake of 2009 and several aftershocks. Due to the almost total collapse of the dome, which happened to be broadcast live on a RAI news program, its image became a symbol of the earthquake and the destruction of L'Aquila.