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But after Wednesday, when another terrible earthquake reduced its 14th century buildings and Roman ruins to rubble, the historic town of Amatrice is “no more”.
Amatrice, home to about 2000 people in the province of Rieti in Lazio, was one of three towns at the epicentre of the 6.2-magnitude earthquake and bore the brunt of its terrible force.
Of the 159 deaths confirmed so far, about 86 were in Amatrice. After the quake, all residents were ordered to leave what remained of the town.
The town clock in a magnificent 16th century bell tower — which is one of the few structures that remain standing — has been frozen in time at 3.36am, which was the moment the earthquake struck.
Half
the facade of the 15th-century Basilica of Sant’Agostino has collapsed
and the courtyard of a Renaissance palace has been transformed into a
makeshift morgue.
“The town is no more,” Amatrice’s mayor Sergio Pirozzi told CNN affiliate Rai.
Aerial footage released by Italian state police showed large areas of the town flattened, with only some structures remaining. Houses built with unreinforced brick and concrete frame buildings had little ability to withstand earthquakes, the US Geological Survey said.
The
earthquake struck when many visitors were arriving in Amatrice for an
annual festival honouring pasta amatriciana — a dish made with pork
jowl, tomatoes, white wine, chilli, pepper and pecorino cheese, which is
perhaps what the town is best known for.
The dish is so popular it has been enshrined on an Italian stamp and is purportedly the reason why so many papal chefs hailed from Amatrice.
The festival that honours amatriciana has traditionally been held in the final Sunday of each August. That was this coming weekend.
The
toughness of the Amatriciana people has been tested many times during
the town’s long history. After the fall of the Roman empire, it was
targeted by the Barbarians. In the 13th century, when it was part of the
Kingdom of Naples, Charles of Anjou sent forces to Amatrice to brutally
quash a local rebellion. The town battled with neighbouring towns over
the centuries, and in 1529 it was badly damaged in an arson attack by
the Spanish.
For tourists, the town is best known for the Basilica of Sant’Agostino, near the gate to the 14th-century city wall.
The
church boasted a fine rose window and Gothic entrance door that dated
to 1428, as well as statues of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin
Annunciate.
That famous rose window was part of the facade that collapsed during Wednesday’s earthquake.
Due to the influx of visitors arriving in Amatrice for Sunday’s food festival, authorities are not yet sure how many people were in Amatrice when the quake struck.
About 70 were believed to be staying in the Hotel Roma, a town landmark that serves the famous pasta dish. Rescue crews pulled five bodies from the rubble of the hotel but had to halt rescue operations at night when conditions became too dangerous in the dark.
Elsewhere,
rescuers with sniffer dogs worked through the night to search for
people trapped under rubble in houses. At a four-storey apartment
complex, two top floors appeared to be intact but the second floor lost
its exterior walls, exposing a brass bed perched precariously in a
child’s room, AFP reported.
At a convent devastated by the quake, sniffer dogs searched for seven women — four elderly women who had been spending their summer holiday in Amatrice, and the three nuns who were caring for them.
“The aim now is to save as many lives as possible,” the mayor, Sergio Pirozzi said.
“There are voices under the rubble, we have to save the people there.”
Pope Francis, who lead a vigil in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican for victims of the earthquake, paid special tribute to the people of Amatrice.
“Hearing the mayor of Amatrice say that the town no longer exists, and learning that there are children among the dead, I am deeply saddened,” he said.
As well as Amatrice, the nearby hilltop towns of Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto were left in ruins by the earthquake, which could be felt 140km away in Rome.
Offers
of help have flooded in from other European allies and Italians have
taken to social media to share their stories and offer solidarity with
victims under the hashtags #terremoto and #PrayforItaly.
The Australian embassy in Rome is working to determine whether any Australians were involved and have urged those trying to find information to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs’ 24-hour centre.
The
clock on Amatrice’s 16th century bell tower is frozen at 3.36am, the
time Wednesday’s earthquake struck. Picture: Massimo Percossi/ANSA via
AP
IT WAS a small town but a proud one, sitting in the remote, mountainous terrain of central Italy.
It
was famous for its Gothic churches filled with frescoes and mosaics and
for an iconic pasta dish that drew tourists from across the world. Over
centuries it endured conquests and wars, as well as a devastating
earthquake some 400 years ago. Last year it was named one of Italy’s
most beautiful towns.But after Wednesday, when another terrible earthquake reduced its 14th century buildings and Roman ruins to rubble, the historic town of Amatrice is “no more”.
A man walks down a devastated street in Amatrice after the magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck. Picture: AP/Emilio FraileSource:AP
Of the 159 deaths confirmed so far, about 86 were in Amatrice. After the quake, all residents were ordered to leave what remained of the town.
The town clock in a magnificent 16th century bell tower — which is one of the few structures that remain standing — has been frozen in time at 3.36am, which was the moment the earthquake struck.
The top half of the church toppled in the quake. Picture: AFP/Filippo MonteforteSource:AFP
The Basilica of Sant’Agostino, one of the grand buildings of Amatrice. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
“The town is no more,” Amatrice’s mayor Sergio Pirozzi told CNN affiliate Rai.
Aerial footage released by Italian state police showed large areas of the town flattened, with only some structures remaining. Houses built with unreinforced brick and concrete frame buildings had little ability to withstand earthquakes, the US Geological Survey said.
Tourists flock to Amatrice for its famous pasta dish. Picture: Nicola/FlickrSource:Flickr
The dish is so popular it has been enshrined on an Italian stamp and is purportedly the reason why so many papal chefs hailed from Amatrice.
The festival that honours amatriciana has traditionally been held in the final Sunday of each August. That was this coming weekend.
Amatrice before the earthquake. Picture: TripAdvisor travellerSource:Supplied
For tourists, the town is best known for the Basilica of Sant’Agostino, near the gate to the 14th-century city wall.
Amatrice sits in a lush, mountainous area of central Italy. Picture: TripAdvisor travellerSource:Supplied
That famous rose window was part of the facade that collapsed during Wednesday’s earthquake.
Due to the influx of visitors arriving in Amatrice for Sunday’s food festival, authorities are not yet sure how many people were in Amatrice when the quake struck.
About 70 were believed to be staying in the Hotel Roma, a town landmark that serves the famous pasta dish. Rescue crews pulled five bodies from the rubble of the hotel but had to halt rescue operations at night when conditions became too dangerous in the dark.
Many of the dead were believed to be sleeping at the Hotel Roma when the earthquake struck. Picture: TripAdvisor travellerSource:Supplied
Rescuers search through debris near the centre of the town. Picture: Massimo Percossi/ANSA via APSource:AP
At a convent devastated by the quake, sniffer dogs searched for seven women — four elderly women who had been spending their summer holiday in Amatrice, and the three nuns who were caring for them.
A man weeps among rubble in devastated Amatrice. Picture: Massimo Percossi/ANSA via APSource:AP
“There are voices under the rubble, we have to save the people there.”
Pope Francis, who lead a vigil in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican for victims of the earthquake, paid special tribute to the people of Amatrice.
“Hearing the mayor of Amatrice say that the town no longer exists, and learning that there are children among the dead, I am deeply saddened,” he said.
As well as Amatrice, the nearby hilltop towns of Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto were left in ruins by the earthquake, which could be felt 140km away in Rome.
Rescuers search through debris in Amatrice. Picture: AP/Alessandra TarantinoSource:AP
The Australian embassy in Rome is working to determine whether any Australians were involved and have urged those trying to find information to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs’ 24-hour centre.
