1117 Verona earthquake

The earthquake, estimated at magnitude 6.5–7.0, was the largest in northern Italy. Its effects in the Verona region was devastating. The assigned maximum intensity on the MCS scale was IX. Damage in southern Germany and Pisa were initially attributed to this single event in the works of early scholars, however, they are now widely accepted that three distinct earthquakes occurred within the span of several hours. The first earthquake affected the towns of Augsburg, Dissibodenberg, Freising, Petershausen, Saint Blasien and Zwiefalten of Germany, and Melk and Salzburg in Austria. In Augsburg, several cantle collapsed. The collapse of a tower killed an unspecified number of people. The epicenter of this estimated magnitude 6.4 shock was in southern Germany. The earthquake that affected Verona occurred some 12 or 13 hours after the southern Germany event. A possible third shock occurred near Pisa with an epicenter area likely in the Serchio Valley. This shock toppled many towers and infrstructure. The timing of this event coincided with the Verona shock, however, there remains an uncertainty if this was truly a separate event. The maximum seismic intensity assigned was VII-VIII on the MCS scale. This earthquake was preceded by a non-damaging foreshock early in the morning.{{cite journal|last1=Guidoboni|first1=Emanuela|last2=Comastri|first2=Alberto|last3=Boschi|first3=Enzo|title=The "exceptional" earthquake of 3 January 1117 in the Verona area (northern Italy): A critical time review and detection of two lost earthquakes (lower Germany and Tuscany)|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth|date=2005|volume=110|issue=B12|doi=10.1029/2005JB003683|bibcode=2005JGRB..11012309G}}

The earthquake in Verona in 1117 was the strongest recorded in the history of northern Italy..Emanuela Guidoboni, Alberto Comastri, Enzo Boschi, 2005. “[https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2005JB003683 The exceptional earthquake of 3 January 1117 in the Verona area (northern Italy): A critical time review and detection of two lost earthquakes (lower Germany and Tuscany)]. Journal of Geophisical Research, 110 pp. 1–20 It was not only felt in Verona, but across northern Italy, from Cividale to Pavia, south to Pisa and north to Switzerland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ips.it/scuola/concorso/terremoti/home4.htm|title=Classificazione dei terremoti|language=it|trans-title=Earthquake Classification}} Outside of Verona, the most damaged areas were Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Venice, Treviso, Modena, Parma, and Cremona. The main churches of Padua all suffered major damage. News of the earthquake reached Montecassino and Reims.Emanuela Guidoboni-Enzo Boschi (1989), "I grandi terremoti medioevali in Italia," Le Scienze, 249. The Milanese chronicler Landolfo Iuniore reported that the church synods needed to be carried out in the open air due to the destruction. In Germany, damage was also extensive. The Michaelskirche in Bamberg, the abbey at Brauweiler, and buildings in Rottenburg am Neckar, Constance, Meersburg, and Fénis were all reported damaged.Thomas Glade, Malcolm Anderson, Michael J. Crozier (2005), Landslide Hazard and Risk (John Wiley and Sons, {{ISBN|0-471-48663-9}}), 261. Many churches, monasteries, and ancient monuments were destroyed or seriously damaged in Verona itself, eliminating much of Verona's early medieval architecture and providing space for a massive Romanesque rebuilding.G. Solinas (1981), Storia di Verona (Verona: Centro Rinascita), 244. The late eight- or early ninth-century Versus de Verona contains a now indispensable description of Verona's early medieval architecture, including Roman ruins. In the province of Veneto, many churches were severely damaged: in Brescia, Cremona, in the northern part of the Emilia plain and along the central route of the Adige river, and partial collapse of churches in Padua, Piacenza, Parma, and Modena..Emanuela Guidoboni, Alberto Comastri, Enzo Boschi, 2005. “[https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2005JB003683 The exceptional earthquake of 3 January 1117 in the Verona area (northern Italy): A critical time review and detection of two lost earthquakes (lower Germany and Tuscany)]. Journal of Geophisical Research, 110: p11

Following the primary earthquake on January 3, 1117, the region experienced a series of significant aftershocks. Notable aftershocks occurred on January 12, June 4, July 1, October 1, and December 30 of the same year. This prolonged seismic activity contributed to the extensive damage observed across the affected regions. {{Cite journal |last=Guidoboni |first=Emanuela |last2=Comastri |first2=Alberto |last3=Boschi |first3=Enzo |date=2005 |title=The “exceptional” earthquake of 3 January 1117 in the Verona area (northern Italy): A critical time review and detection of two lost earthquakes (lower Germany and Tuscany) |url=https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2005JB003683 |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth |language=en |volume=110 |issue=B12 |doi=10.1029/2005JB003683 |issn=2156-2202}}

In the aftermath of the 1117 earthquake, significant restoration initiatives were undertaken to rebuild the damaged structures. Notable, in Parma, contemporary records indicate that the Cathedral's façade collapsed due to the quake's impact. Reconstruction efforts included repairing the collapsed walls and introducing a new type of truss system, designed to reduce the building's vulnerability to future seismic events. {{Cite web |last=paoloforlin |date=2017-02-10 |title=Conference on the great 1117 Veronese earthquake (Venice, 20th January 2017) |url=https://armedea.wordpress.com/2017/02/10/conference-on-the-great-1117-veronese-earthquake-venice-20th-january-2017/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=ArMedEa |language=en}}

• Church of San Giovanni in Valle
• List of earthquakes in Italy
• List of historical earthquakes
• Verona Arena

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Sources

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• {{citation|title=The "exceptional" earthquake of 3 January 1117 in the Verona area (northern Italy): A critical time review and detection of two lost earthquakes (lower Germany and Tuscany)|year=2005|first1=E.|last1=Guidoboni|first2=S.|last2=Comastri|first3=E.|last3=Boschi|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research|volume=110|issue=B12309|doi=10.1029/2005JB003683|bibcode=2005JGRB..11012309G|doi-access=free}}

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• [http://storing.ingv.it/cfti/cfti5/quake.php?00035EN Page on the 1117 Verona earthquake] from the CFTI5 Catalogue of Strong Earthquakes in Italy (461 BC – 1997) and Mediterranean Area (760 B.C. – 1500) Guidoboni E., Ferrari G., Mariotti D., Comastri A., Tarabusi G., Sgattoni G., Valensise G. (2018) (in Italian)

{{Earthquakes in Italy}}

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Category:12th-century earthquakes

1117 Verona

Category:1117 in Europe

Category:12th century in Italy

Category:1110s in the Holy Roman Empire

Category:History of Verona