Square the Duomo L'Aquila

SQUARE THE DUOMO L'AQUILA

Piazza Duomo, or market, is the largest and the most important squares of the Eagle. It is the social and cultural center of the city, meeting point of L'Aquila and the seat of the city's major events. The heart of religious power, in contrast to Piazza Palazzo seat of political power, houses since 1303 the city market. Its size, 140 meters long and 70 meters on the side of the short one, for a total of about one hectare in width, make it one of the largest squares in Italy.

Quadrangular, is located in a central position in the historical center of the city, crossing the axis side of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. It is characterized by a considerable difference in height that ends in the Cathedral of Saints George and Massimo, built in the thirteenth century and restored several times. On it they face many historical buildings but no palace, so that no count could ever dominate on the common space of the citizens [2]. In the Middle Ages, also, the square hosted the elm of justice where they carried out the executions. In the fifteenth century, on the southern side of the square there were craft workshops called The Cancelle, the typical structure with the door that was also used as a "showcase" for good.

After the earthquake of 1703, following the destruction of the previous Brotherhood of the Suffrage, it was built the Church of Santa Maria del Suffrage (popularly known as Church of the Holy Souls), thus giving the square of two churches.

In the early years of the twentieth century, as part of a long and challenging project development project of the city began in 1927, the square was decorated at the head and feet of two monumental fountains built by the sculptor Nicola D'Antino [3], then Author also the Luminous Fountain. At the same time, Le Cancelle were dismantled to make way for the Post Office building, in neoclassical style, and mounted immediately behind this.

After the L'Aquila earthquake of 2009 the square was included in the red zone to be reopened to the public (with limitations) until 21 June; It is still one of the few affordable places in the historic center of the capital of Abruzzo.

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