The Basilica of San Benedetto in Norcia: how seismic events influenced its history

Italy is a country with a high seismic risk, also due to seismic exposure, that is the presence inside the territory of architectural and cultural heritage of meaningful importance. Among these buildings we can mention the Basilica of San Benedetto, located in Norcia. The Basilica of San Benedetto was the result of various modifications that have taken place over the centuries. Nowadays, the Basilica of San Benedetto is almost entirely collapsed because of that earthquake that hit the area on October 30th, 2016. In this paper, the analysis of the Basilica constructive phases is discussed, starting from the earthquakes that have struck the Norcia area over the centuries, analyzed through the available historical and archival documents, and highlighting their impact on modelling the final configuration of the Basilica. The hypotheses that emerged from these documents were later confirmed through an investigations campaign, executed in November 2020.