Italy, Sant’Apollinare

The village is situated on a small hill not far from the Liri River and appears now completely refurbished after its trials in WW2. The name originates from a medieval church built by the Benedictines in the area called Albianus and whose documentation can be found in the archives of the Abbey of Montecassino from the eighth century. It was a small settlement with a church for the monks, and local stores for the collection of commodities and goods produced by the settlers and amassed for the religious. The church was destroyed by the Saracens and the Hungarians and then rebuilt. Around this church the medieval village was born. The town was destroyed several times and nothing of its history was preserved. The heavy bombing during World War II, the earthquakes of 1915 and 1984 and the dramatic flood of 1950 have virtually erased all traces of the past.