Church of Santa Giusta, Romanesque church in L'Aquila, Italy.
Church of Santa Giusta is a Romanesque church in L'Aquila featuring a golden stone facade organized in three columned sections with a bell gable rising above the main entrance. Inside, a wooden choir occupies the apse while several chapels from different periods line the interior space.
The church was founded in 1254 during L'Aquila's establishment, replacing an earlier 1230s structure dedicated to Saint George by settlers from Goriano Valli. Following the 2009 earthquake, the building underwent extensive restoration and reopened in 2020 with reinforced structural elements.
The church is named after an early African martyr whose veneration stretches back to medieval times. You can observe in the building how openings and interior divisions reflect centuries of community use and adaptation.
The church is easily reached on foot through L'Aquila's old town, with the building clearly visible and well-marked from several historic squares. The interior spaces are well-lit and straightforward to navigate, with clear sightlines to the main architectural features.
Beneath the church lies a crypt situated within a cave under the rectory and left nave, where a Roman oven remains preserved to this day. These remains reveal that the site had been inhabited well before the medieval church was built.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
