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L'AQUILA
L’Aquila is a City of Abruzzo as well
as being the main Provincial and Regional town. It was built
up at the foot of the Gran Sasso (Big Rock) at a height (714)
which dominated the valley of the Aterno.
The City, already conceived by Federico II of Svevia,
was constructed in 1254 on the remains of the previous Roman
site of Amiternum. Revived in 1266 as a free Council after
its destruction, can be attributed to King Manfredi (1259);
containing 99 squares, 99 fountains and 99 “Castles,”
each one electing its own mayor. It has a Union of mayors
who constituted the “camera” citadina, (citizen
room) with a camerlengo (Treasurer of the Papal Court) at
its head.
Thanks to the political and administrative autonomy, its economic
and territorial development was rapid. L’Aquila minted
its own currency, a true privilege of the medieval era, and
also gave impetus to some specific activities; that of the
silk, wool and lace industries, as well as the cultivation
of Saffron, which allowed it to assume a role, second to that
of Naples, as the most important centre of the Angioino reign.
On 2nd June 1424, the City victoriously resisted an attack
by Braccio da Montone, but was then overthrown by the militia
of Giovanna led by Giacomo Caldora; it supported the house
of d’Angio against Alfonso d’Aragona, and in the
second half of the 1400’s, reached the height of its
power.
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Art City
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CASTLE |
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ROMANESQUE CHURCH |
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