I consider the crypt at the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta in Aquileia as one of the highlights of my visit to the UNESCO World Heritage listed basilica. Because of its very nature of being a crypt, it is less exposed to the elements compared to the rest of the basilica. As a result, the frescoes inside the crypt have been very well preserved. I don’t know if there was any retouching done but it clearly is in much better condition compared to the rest of the church. Getting out of the crypt brings me to the altar area.

You can see the Romanesque designs here with the round arches typical of this style. However, there is more, looking behind the altar area are additional frescoes. The frescoes here are similar to the ones found inside the crypt. It is very likely that the rest of the church was once covered with frescoes like these. Unfortunately, they have all deteriorated. Anyone who has done or seen poor plastering work would know how the frescoes have fallen into disrepair. In it’s heyday, I can imagine how the basilica was once a magnificent structure. Alas, I think this can only be seen using computer simulations.

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