I still remember the colorful, lyrical charm of Preci – not far from Norcia and close to the epicenter of the October 30, 2016 earthquake – when I visited there a few years ago. Like Visso, not far away, this tiny hilltop town (pop. about 700) in the southeastern mountains of Umbria, is graced with pastel-colored palazzi nobili standing proudly along winding cobblestoned alleyways.
and you can see the muted pastel elegance of Preci in the photos I took that day:
Lacerated by the earthquake, Preci now looks like this:
Preci hides a curiosity tied to its “medical heritage” and links with the great European castrati: il Museo della Chirurgia. I could find no post-earthquake photos of Preci’s fascinating museum; I can only hope it survived quake damage, its rare artifacts safe. Read more here about Preci’s intriguing “curiosity.”
No lives were lost in the October earthquake but the flagellation of the artistic patrimony of Umbria and the Marches region has been devastating. May Preci soon be resurrected.
Read about good eating near Preci
Read about Preci’s curious fame
Click here to read about – and see – damage to Norcia
Read about – and see – damage to Visso
Read about San Salvatore, Campi (near Norcia), lost: che tragedia
Click here for earthquake news on splendid Castelluccio
Read about earthquake damage to the Campi cemetery (and Preci one, too, damaged)
Peppa’s home had damage, too, though light damage
Click here to read about the August 24, 2016 earthquake damage in Umbria
Read about earthquake benefit dinners
Read more on the benefit dinners following the earthquake
Click here for news on our benefit dinner starring pasta all’amatriciana
See the recipe for pasta alla norcina (a possible earthquake-benefit dish)
Read about Castelluccio di Norcia and lentils as quake solidarity
Click here for news on the glorious Benedictine abbey of Sant’Eutizio (outside Preci)
Read about Norcia’s norcinerie, needing a comeback
Read about Cascia and earthquake concerns there