Another view of the entrance to the walled city of L'Aquila, showing a guard tower and a modern apartment building outside the city walls.

Looking out from the city: view of Appenine Mountains from South Entrance (from Rome) to medieval walled city.

Main square in L'Aquila. (Buildings, L-R): Church of Ogni Santi, where there was a collection of bones inside; Post Office; calle toward Palazzi del Governo (destroyed in 2009 earthquake); side of main cathedral, San Massimo.

Church Ogni Saanti in the main square. The interior of this church was badly damaged in the 2009 earthquake.

The business district: continuation of Vittorio Emanuelle Avenue in L'Aquila. This is where the banks were and where you went to change money.

City Hall

Fountain in main square of L'Aquila.

Where we performed: front of Teatro Sant' Agostino. It was a repurposed church. It was referred to as the "little theater," although my memory was that it seated about 1,800. The theater is no longer useable since the 2009 earthquake, when it lost its ceiling.

Rear of Teatro St. Augustino. The theater is presently under the direction of Alessandro Gassman, son of the great actor, Vittorio Gassman. The theater company has been offered different spaces away from the city.

Once you get inside the city, you get used to the idea that there aren't many open spaces. The picture widens as you look out of the city toward the surrounding mountains, but inside those walls, you're generally peeking around: between buildings, into alleyways, through covered walkways and colonnades.

Stage entrance to Teatro Sant' Augustino.