Nearly seven years after the 2016 earthquake that struck central Italy, the facade of the Basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia has been freed almost entirely from the large steel cage built by firefighters to protect the rose window and facade that miraculously remained standing.
“Seeing the facade of the basilica again was a very strong emotion for all of us Norcians,” said Norcia’s deputy mayor, Giuliano Boccanera. “To see the tourists also excited is beautiful. The collapsed basilica was the symbol of the 2016 earthquake, today it is finally the symbol of reconstruction.”
“When we heard about the dismantling of the big cage,” commented the extraordinary commissioner for reconstruction, Guido Castelli, “our emotion lit up. The Basilica of Norcia is one of the symbols of the devastation of 2016. After an impervious path, we are seeing the light and it is an important signal. Because I am sure that although this disassembly action has an all-mechanical and technical figure, it has a very important meaning for the whole earthquake crater: we are moving to an implementation phase and we are beginning to see the end of what have been complex works, made complicated by regulations that did not always allow for the linear development of works.”
“It is good to begin to see the first results of the commitment of so many people and institutions who are doing their best to return this significant Basilica to everyone,” added the bishop of the Spoleto-Norcia diocese, Renato Boccardo. “The hope is to be able to see the completion of the work as soon as possible.”
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Freed from steel cage, facade of Norcia Basilica returns to view |
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