The Church of Santa Giusta

The Church of Santa Giusta is a small Romanesque church dating back to the 13th century and is considered one of the oldest and most significant sacred buildings in the southeastern quadrant of the historic center. It has a simple single nave, a sober façade with a rose window, and a pointed arch portal that still preserves medieval details.

Inside, there are remains of medieval decorations and frescoes that confirm the local importance of the place of worship; the complex is sometimes listed in the catalogs of the city’s ecclesiastical heritage and in local records.

The church, like many monuments in L’Aquila, has suffered damage as a result of the seismic shocks that have affected the area in recent years; there are articles documenting the worsening conditions of the façade and walls after subsequent tremors.

The Quarto di Santa Giusta (formerly also called San Giorgio) is one of the four historic quarters of L’Aquila (together with Santa Maria, San Pietro, and San Marciano/San Giovanni). The quarter system dates back to the medieval organization of the city: belonging, identity, and civic celebrations were (and partly still are) linked to one’s own quarter. The Quarto di Santa Giusta corresponds to the southeastern sector of the historic city. Quick fact: devotion to a saint named “Giusta” was quite widespread in the diocese; for this reason, there are/were several churches dedicated to Santa Giusta in L’Aquila and its surroundings.