Area Sections
Aquila
Getting There
Other Definitions
aquila (enc)
aquila (dict)
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Aquila L'Aquila’s late medieval glory can still be seen despite the devating impact of the earthquake at the beginning of the eigtheenth century. Its main sight is the castle thatw as erected by Don Pedro of Toledo midway the 16th century. It was meant to safeguard the residents of the city from attacks by the Spaniards. The fortress is only one of many castles in the area that served as strongholds, as the story goes that the inhabitants of the round and about 100 castles in the area helped to built the city in the 12th century. However, from a military architectural point of view it is definitely the most impressive one. The central Piazza Duomo, with its daily market, is an excellent place from which to explore the town with its little courtyards and gardens. The city boast the most well-known basilica of the Aruzza area, the ‘Basilica di S.Maria di Collemaggio’. Besides that, there are several well-preserved churches with an interesting array of frescoes. The fountain with the 99 spouts is located nearby the remnants of the city wall and the Quattro Cantoni, a meeting point for locals. This is also the area where one can see the finest examples of one of the town’s characteristics, the arcades, also better known as ‘portici’ in this region. If you're looking for a bit more of green, head for the Abruzzo_National_Park. Pescara might be worth a detour when you've some time left.
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