The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Maximus and George is L’Aquila’s main place of worship, overlooking Piazza Duomo. Established in 1256 with the birth of the diocese, it has been rebuilt several times after earthquakes; the most recent, in 2009, caused the transept to collapse, and it has been unusable since. Despite the closure, the neoclassical facade and the two bell towers from 1928 dominate the square along with the Church of Suffragio.
Key points:
– Ancient history: origins linked to Pope Alexander IV and the suppression of the Diocese of Forcona;
– Lost masterpieces: the tomb of Cardinal Agnifili by Silvestro dell’Aquila and the ‘false dome’ by Venanzio Mascitelli;
– Ongoing restoration: €37 million works started in 2023 to rebuild the apse and transept;
– Devotion to Saint Maximus: the patron saint celebrated on June 10, with relics kept under the high altar.
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Dedicated to Saints Maximus and George, the cathedral is the religious symbol of L’Aquila. From its 13th-century origins to the 2009 earthquake, it is now under restoration. Here’s what to see in Piazza Duomo and the story of a wounded yet fascinating monument.
- Via degli Scardassieri, L’Aquila (AQ)
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- View on Google Images Cattedrale metropolitana dei Santi Massimo e Giorgio a L’Aquila
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Introduction: The Wounded Symbol of L’Aquila
Walking through Piazza Duomo, your gaze immediately goes to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Maximus and George. It is the religious symbol of L’Aquila, but today it appears as a construction site: the 2009 earthquake hit it hard and restoration is underway. The neoclassical façade, with its columns and two bell towers, still dominates the scene, yet you can tell that behind the scaffolding hides a history spanning eight centuries. You can’t enter, but stopping to look at it is already a way to connect with the city. Because this cathedral is not just a building: it is the living memory of L’Aquila.
Historical Background
The cathedral was born with the city. In 1256 Pope Alexander IV transferred the diocese from Forcona to L’Aquila, and the existing church became a cathedral. Soon after, in 1259, Manfredi destroyed it: it was rebuilt in Piazza Duomo. After the 1315 earthquake, the medieval three-nave building took shape, of which today only the right wall with ogival single-lancet windows remains. The 1703 earthquake was devastating: almost everything collapsed. The Baroque reconstruction began in 1711, but proceeded slowly: the apse was consecrated in 1734, the church only reopened in 1780. In 1928 the façade was completed with its two towers. On 6 April 2009, the earthquake caused the collapse of the transept and very serious damage. Restoration work, started in 2023, will last about five years.
- 1256/1257 – Transfer of the episcopal seat from Forcona to L’Aquila
- 1259 – Destruction ordered by Manfredi
- 1315 – Reconstruction after the earthquake
- 1703 – Earthquake: almost total collapse
- 1711 – Beginning of Baroque reconstruction
- 1780 – Reopening for worship
- 1928 – Completion of the neoclassical façade
- 2009 – Earthquake: collapse of the transept
- 2023 – Start of restoration work
Architecture and Restorations: Between Baroque and Building Sites
The interior, currently inaccessible, is a Baroque masterpiece: a Latin cross plan, a single nave with intercommunicating side chapels, as in the Church of Sant’Ignazio in Rome. The vault is frescoed by Annibale Brugnoli and Gennaro della Monica (1886-87) with the patron saints Maximus, Bernardine, Peter Celestine, and Equitius. Fun fact: the dome does not exist; it is a canvas by Venanzio Mascitelli that simulates it in perspective. The 2009 earthquake caused the collapse of the transept and part of the apse, leaving the building exposed for years. The ongoing restoration, costing €37 million, also includes the reconstruction of the ‘false dome’ on a lightweight structure with video mapping. A complex intervention that seeks to restore the monument’s integrity.
Artworks: A Museum Inside the Church
You cannot enter, but the cathedral holds treasures worth knowing about. The sepulchral monument of Cardinal Amico Agnifili, sculpted by Silvestro dell’Aquila in 1480, is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of the Abruzzo Renaissance. In the side chapels were canvases by Baccio Ciarpi, Francesco da Montereale, and the dramatic ‘San Carlo Among the Plague-Stricken’ by Teofilo Patini. The high altar holds the relics of San Massimo, patron saint of the city, while in the chapel of San Carlo is preserved the head of San Vittorino. There is also an eighteenth-century wooden choir carved by Ferdinando Mosca of Pescocostanzo. Awaiting restoration, these works remain invisible, but their importance makes the place even more mysterious.
Why visit it
Even from the outside, the cathedral is worth a stop. The main reason? The neoclassical facade is a true spectacle: a giant Ionic order, a pediment, and two bell towers framing Piazza Duomo. Then there’s the symbolic value: seeing a monument that has endured earthquakes, destruction, and reconstructions for centuries, and which is now under renovation again, gives a measure of L’Aquila’s resilience. Finally, a walk around the building reveals surviving medieval details, such as the 13th-century wall with pointed-arch single-lancet windows. Three good reasons not to settle for a group photo and to take a closer look.
When to Go
The best time is late afternoon, when the low sun illuminates the stone of the facade and the bell towers cast long shadows on the square. In winter, with snow on the mountains or raking light, the atmosphere is even more evocative. If you happen to pass by on June 10, the feast day of San Massimo, the city gathers around the cathedral for the patron saint’s celebration. Even if the interior is closed, the square becomes the stage of popular devotion. In any case, avoid the central hours of summer: the sun beats down strongly and the construction site makes everything dustier.
In the Surroundings
After the cathedral, continue towards the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, just outside the city walls: it is the symbol of forgiveness, with its Romanesque-Gothic façade and the Holy Door. Another gem is the Basilica of San Bernardino, in the heart of the historic center, where the Sienese saint rests and a Renaissance masterpiece can be admired. Both were damaged by the earthquake and represent unmissable stops on an itinerary through L’Aquila between faith and art. Don’t forget to enjoy an Abruzzese arrosticino in one of the local trattorias.
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💡 Did You Know…?
Few know that, before the earthquake, the interior housed a false dome painted by Venanzio Mascitelli: a trompe-l’œil that fooled the eye like at Sant’Ignazio in Rome. Today that canvas has collapsed, but the restoration project plans to recreate it with video mapping. And every year on June 10, the city remembers Saint Maximus, whose body arrived from Forcona in the 15th century.