Amatrice, reconstruction of St. Francis church kicks off

The church of St. Francis in Amatrice will soon return to life after being half-destroyed by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake. After years of waiting, the reconstruction of the religious complex, which was hard hit by the 2016 earthquake that devastated central Italy, is officially kicking off. The project, promoted by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo, marks a key step in the rebirth of the Lazio village.

This reconstruction is part of the Art Bonus initiative, a funding tool that incentivizes private donations for the restoration of Italy’s artistic heritage. The reconstruction of the Church of San Francesco will be supported thanks to a 6.6 million euro donation from Intesa Sanpaolo, out of a total amount of more than 13 million.

An important intervention for Amatrice

The church of St. Francis, with its adjoining convent, represents the most significant historic Romanesque-Gothic building in Amatrice. Its reconstruction will not only be an act of architectural restoration, but a cultural heritage operation that will preserve its identity through a conservative restoration and recomposition of the original elements. The goal is to preserve the historic value of the structure by recovering the remaining stone and architectural elements as much as possible, while consolidation of the existing masonry will ensure stability and safety.

Illustrating the details of the memorandum of understanding that sanctions the collaboration between public and private sectors were, during the presentation of the project at the Ministry of Culture last January 30, the Extraordinary Commissioner for Post-Earthquake Reconstruction, Guido Castelli, the head of Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori Division, Stefano Barrese, the Mayor of Amatrice, Giorgio Cortellesi, and the president of ALES - Arte, Lavoro e Servizi, Fabio Tagliaferri. Also present were the Quaestor of the Chamber, Paolo Trancassini, Regional Councillor for Reconstruction, Manuela Rinaldi, and Paola Santarelli, president of the Dino and Ernesta Santarelli Foundation, which played a key role in the banking institution’s involvement in the project.

Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who was unable to attend for health reasons, sent a message in which he stressed the value of the Art Bonus as an essential tool for the protection of Italian heritage. “The recovery and preservation of Italy’s cultural heritage cannot do without the public-private relationship, nor without its renewed overall vision that makes the private sector an active and conscious protagonist of a great social and community enterprise,” Giuli said, also recalling the important ministerial funding plan earmarked for securing the cultural heritage against seismic risk: a program that includes 425 interventions for a total of 374 million euros.

The role of the Superintendence and side projects

The intervention on the church of San Francesco received a positive opinion from the Office of the Special Superintendent for the areas affected by the August 24, 2016 earthquake, which also oversaw other Art Bonus projects related to Amatrice’s artistic heritage. These include the restoration of the Wooden Pulpit, a masterpiece of Baroque carving dating back to the 16th-17th centuries, and the 17th-century painting of the Crucifixion among Franciscan saints by Giulio Cesare Bedeschini.

The restoration of the latter work is part of an educational project promoted by the Municipality of Amatrice, entitled From restoration to recovery of cultural identity. The initiative will directly involve young people in the area, who will follow all phases of the intervention, from the preliminary study to the diagnostic analysis, up to the communication and organization of the final event, in which the restored painting will be returned to the community.

The reconstruction of the church of San Francesco thus represents much more than a simple building intervention: it is a symbol of hope for Amatrice and all the communities affected by the earthquake. The project, which combines the protection of the artistic heritage with the desire for the rebirth of the area, is part of a broader reconstruction process that aims to return not only its historic buildings but also its history to Amatrice.

After years of waiting and difficulties, the construction site can finally start, with the goal of returning one of its most precious places to the community, marking a new chapter in the history of the village.

Amatrice, reconstruction of St. Francis church kicks off

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