Historic structure badly damaged in Italy

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-08-2009 13:52

Teams will survey those buildings still standing in L'Aquila to see if residents can move back in. Monday's earthquake has badly damaged its ancient structures.

An aerial view of Santa Maria Paganica church in L'Aquila, central Italy, on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the Abruzzo region. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

L'Auquila is not as famous as the cities of Rome and Venice. However, built in the 13th century, L'Aquila boasted many structures dating back to the Renaissance.

Geologists and architects say the main reason many old building in the town failed to withstand the quake was due to the way they were built.

Many of the structures that were built in medieval times did not meet modern seismic safety standards.

And the government did not reinforce those buildings in the most vulnerable regions of earthquake-prone Italy.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei