Today we pause to remember those who lost their lives in the earthquake in L'Aquila, in Abruzzo.
Here is a little background information on the town:
L'Aquila is in central Italy and is capital of the Abruzzo region. It has a population of 72,913 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls, it is surrounded by the Appenine mountain range.
A maze of narrow streets, lined with Baroque or Renaissance buildings and churches, open onto elegant piazzas. It is a lively university town and is home to numerous cultural institutions including a repertory theater, symphony orchestra, fine art academy, a film institute. A popular summer and winter destination for Romans, it is little visited by foreigners.
The earthquake that struck on April 6, 2009 was a 6.3 magnitude quake. Many other earthquakes have struck the town throughout its long history.
