Norcia, nominated one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Italy”, is located on the slopes of Monti Sibillini, on the northern end of the Altopiano di Santa Scolastica.
Protected by perimeter walls, divided into neighbourhoods (known as guaite) with an urban plan evocative of the 17th-18th centuries, Norcia has a significant historical and artistic heritage, linked to the life of St. Benedict who was born here. The 13th century Basilica in the main square, dedicated to the founder of the Benedictine order, was built over his birthplace. Damaged in the earthquake of 2016, the church has a Gothic facade with a pitched roof, a central rose window and the symbols of the four evangelists. Laid out on a Latin cross, it has a single nave and the remains of Roman walls in the underground crypt.
To the right of the Basilica, beneath the Portico delle Misure, ancient “Weights” from the 14th century are lined up, large recipients of stone used to measure goods during markets. To the left is the Palazzo Communale (13th century) with its loggia, staircase and bell tower. Inside the building are the Sala del Consiglio Maggiore, the Sala Sertoriana or dei Quaranta Conservatori della Pace and the Priors’ Chapel, which conserves the Gothic Reliquary of St. Benedict.
In the same square, the Castellina houses the Civic and Diocesan Museum, designed by Jacopo [Giacomo] Barozzi da Vignola and built in 1554, which was once a fortified residence and headquarters for the prefect and pontificial governors.
The historical centre was badly damaged in the earthquake that struck Central Italy in 2016.
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