The earthquake of L'Aquila 1703

«In the early 18th century, to make the situation of Abruzzo still more uncertain, came the earthquakes that hit L'Aquila, in 1703, and Sulmona three years later. The earthquake of L'Aquila was a true calamity: in the evening of 2nd February, after some lighter shocks that occurred in the previous days, and which had however seriously damaged some houses and churches, among them San Pietro di Sassa, San Quinziano, San Pietro di Coppito and Santa Maria di Roio, a terrible thunder accompanied the simultaneous fall of almost all the city, and the victims found under the ruins were over 3,000.

The city, so tragically wounded, seemed resigned to a secondary role in the life of the region; but the reconstruction will of the Aquilans prevailed over their anguish, and slowly the city regained its rightful position. »