Latest Italian quake destroys Medieval Sites

A strong earthquake that shook Italy Sunday morning took a heavy toll on historic churches and other landmark buildings, some dating back to the Middle Ages.

No deaths were reported, and only “tens” of injuries, but the physical damage was extensive.

In Preci, the walls of a hillside cemetery came crashing down on top of the Abbey of Saint Euticius, founded in the 5th century by a group of Syrian monks and hermits and now crushed under the weight of its own burial ground.The old town of Arquata del Tronto, in the central region of Le Marches, was virtually destroyed, along with its 13th century church dedicated to Saint Francis. Only the castle remains, still standing guard over the ruins below.