Cookie preferences

Choose which cookies to accept. Your choice lasts 6 months, and you can change it at any time. Cookie policy

Technical cookies

Always on

pll_language remembers your language (1 year); sg_consenso stores your cookie choice (6 months). They are needed for the site to work and do not require consent.

Google Analytics 4, provided by Google Ireland Limited, collects data about visits (pages viewed, device, approximate location) for statistics on how the site is used. It sets the _ga and _ga_<code> cookies, which last up to 2 years. It is active only with your consent.

The GetYourGuide calendar, provided by GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, shows dates and prices for experiences and tracks bookings made from this site. It sets the visitor_id cookie (up to 13 months) and a technical Cloudflare cookie (30 minutes), and it loads a font from Google Fonts. Without consent, you see a link to GetYourGuide instead of the calendar.

Church of Madonna della Pace (Arquata del Tronto)

Church of Madonna della Pace (Arquata del Tronto)

Type
Church
Municipality
Arquata del Tronto (AP)

Source: site database, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

The Church of Madonna della Pace (Chiesa della Madonna della Pace) in Arquata del Tronto stands in Piedilama, a hamlet of the municipality of Arquata del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno. The village is crossed by the European long-distance path E1. The building was badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake. The tremor of October 30 brought down the west wall and the bell tower. It is another stop among the churches of the Sibillini Mountains marked by the earthquake.

Share

On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Church of Madonna della Pace

The name Piedilama comes from "piedi" (feet) and "lama", which in the local dialect means landslide: according to tradition, the village arose at the foot of a landslide. Piedilama already appears in 1798 in the list of villages of the Dipartimento del Tronto, Cantone di Acquasanta. In 1831 it is recorded as a hamlet of Arquata with 460 souls.

The best-documented moment for the church is the 2016 earthquake. On August 24 a magnitude 6.0 tremor also damaged Piedilama. On October 30 the magnitude 6.5 tremor, with its epicenter in Norcia, almost completely razed the village.

What to see at the Church of Madonna della Pace

After the earthquake the church remained badly damaged. Bent by the earthquake, in 2021 it was still in the same condition as in the days of the disaster. It was surrounded by weeds and ruins, with the door still fallen inside. After the earthquake the interior looked completely gutted, with pieces of concrete hanging from the ceiling.

Visiting the Church of Madonna della Pace

It cannot be taken for granted that the church is accessible. The damage suffered in 2016 is serious. It is therefore best to view it from the outside, respecting any access bans, and to ask the Comune di Arquata del Tronto (town hall) before setting out.

Where the Church of Madonna della Pace is located

The church stands in Piedilama, in the municipality of Arquata del Tronto, in Le Marche. Piedilama, like Pretare in Arquata del Tronto, lies on the slopes of Monte Vettore. Travelers heading up toward Castelluccio pass it along the way. Among the destroyed hamlets of Arquata, especially Piedilama and Pretare, there are small villages of post-earthquake houses.

Around the Church of Madonna della Pace

In Piedilama, along the Fosso delle Pianelle stream, at 775 m above sea level, is a water mill no longer in use, which preserves many of its grinding gears in good condition. In the nearby hamlet of Borgo stand the ruins of the Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo in Arquata del Tronto. Arquata also has its Rocca (fortress).

Frequently asked questions

Did the earthquake damage the Church of Madonna della Pace?

Yes. On October 30, 2016 the magnitude 6.5 tremor with its epicenter in Norcia caused the collapse of the west wall and the bell tower. Five years later the church was still damaged and abandoned, in the condition left by the earthquake.

In which hamlet of Arquata del Tronto is the church?

The Church of Madonna della Pace is in Piedilama, a hamlet of Arquata del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno. The village is crossed by the European long-distance path E1 and lies on the slopes of Monte Vettore, on the road that climbs toward Castelluccio.

What else can be seen in Piedilama besides the church?

Along the Fosso delle Pianelle, at 775 m above sea level, is a water mill no longer in use, with many gears still well preserved. In the nearby hamlet of Borgo stand the ruins of the church of Santi Pietro e Paolo.

Nearby

Where to eat

Straight-line distances.