Piazza San Benedetto

Umbria


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 are still closed after the 2016 earthquake. Most obviously, the Basilica di San Benedetto is in ruins save for its facade. Next to it, the 14th-century Palazzo Comunale is intact, but at the time of research its portico and belfry were hidden behind scaffolding. Opposite is the Castellina, a 16th-century papal fortress that houses a small museum (closed).

You'll also see in the piazza a wooden bell tower and crucifix that were erected post-earthquake to house the bell from the nearby Cattedrale di Santa Maria Argentea (another quake victim).