The sight of this ruined 13th-century basilica – formerly Norcia's showpiece church – gives a chilling insight into the force of the 2016 earthquake: only the pale facade is still standing, the rest is in rubble. Prior to the quake, the facade gave onto a calm, contemplative interior where 17th-century frescoes depicted scenes from the life of San Benedetto – according to tradition, the basilica was built over the house where saints Benedict and Scholastica were born.
Basilica di San Benedetto
Umbria
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Centred on a statue of St Benedict, Norcia's most famous son, this small piazza is flanked by the town's most impressive medieval buildings, many of which…
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