L’Aquila

A city that needs no introduction, capital of the Abruzzo region. It is multifaceted and, according to legend, was born from the union of 99 Abruzzo castles. Despite still paying the consequences of the terrible earthquake of 6 April 2009, walking through the streets of the historic centre is always an exceptional sensation. The Basilica di Collemaggio is perhaps L’Aquila’s most famous monument. It was built in 1287 at the behest of the man who later became Pope Celestine V. The Basilica, which has been a national monument since 1902, returned to its former glory and was reopened to the public in 2017 after careful structural restoration. The one that is opened on the evening of the Perdonanza is on the right side and is the first Holy Door built in the world. The region’s main museum and flagship is undoubtedly the Abruzzo National Museum.