The main topics of the broadcast, Russian-Italian relations, to Italian L'Aquila, which is being revived with the help of Russia, among other countries, after a powerful earthquake of 2009. The largest historic building of the city, Palazzo Ardinghelli, is in its final stage of reconstruction. Asya Emelyanova's film crew was one of the first visitors in the already restored St. Gregory's Church.





With ruins are all around, it’s difficult to understand where the center was. A church is the most reliable sign. They were built on main squares. The village of San Gregorio was completely destroyed by the earthquake of 2009. 8 years have passed, and there is still no life here. Only a small miracle, a white church in the center. This is how it was planned. If the church is rebuilt, people will start returning and building their houses.

Snow-white, elegant, now it has more light and more space. It was decided not to lay out the ceilings between the naves again, but the walls that weren’t destroyed were gently covered with white stone. They laid out the outlines of the columns and the way to the altar. A six-point earthquake is deadly for a church built in the XVI century. Everything collapsed that night, but the altar survived. The task of the restorers is to preserve as much as possible of what wasn’t destroyed. The earthquake in L'Aquila left us only with fragments, but we managed to collect them, clean them and find a place for each piece. That's how it looked in 2009.

Houses, as if cut in halves, shower cabins and refrigerators hanging in the air, a child’s jacket. It was in San Gregorio that most of the children were saved and miraculously survived. Two days under the rubble, they were waiting for the rescuers to reach them. Seven children were rescued here! Seven! If you carefully come closer, you will see children's toys and clothes. That's what's left of the church. A piece of the facade and the pilasters. A phone booth is still standing on the opposite side. Eight years have passed, and the Italians still haven't gotten to nearly half of the buildings and towns.

Russia quickly chose the buildings for restoration, St. Gregory's Church and Palazzo Ardinghelli, and just as quickly completed the works. Cranes have just now begun to move in over L'Aquila, while in one of the most unusual mansions of the city a museum of modern art will open in a year. When I was a child, I dreamed of growing up, becoming rich and buying this palace. But the first time I came here was 3 years ago, when you started work. I immediately realized that this was a perfect place for a museum! This gift that Russia gave us brings hope for a new life.

Nine million euros, allocated by Russia for the restoration of L'Aquila, is priceless for the city. How can you repay those who came to the rescue in the first days? Our rescuers worked on the rubble, helped assess the damage, survivability of buildings, which were then restored. Classical music sounds at the Embassy of the Russian Federation. On the eve of the eighth anniversary of the earthquake, the musicians of L’Aquila play Tchaikovsky.