With the plains spreading picturesquely below and Monte Subasio rearing steep and wooded above, the mere sight of Assisi in the rosy glow of dusk is enough to send pilgrims' souls spiralling to heaven. It’s at this hour, when the day trippers have left and the town is shrouded in saintly silence, that the true spirit of St Francis of Assisi, born here in 1181, can be felt most keenly. However, you don’t have to be religious to be struck by Assisi’s beauty and enjoy its pristine centro storico (historic centre) and Unesco-listed Basilica di San Francesco, home to one of Italy’s most celebrated artistic masterpieces.
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Basilica di San Francesco
Visible for miles around, the Basilica di San Francesco is the crowning glory of Assisi's Unesco-listed historic centre. The 13th-century complex is comprised of two churches: the Gothic Basilica Superiore, with its celebrated cycle of Giotto frescoes, and beneath, the older Basilica Inferiore where you'll find works by Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini. Also here, in the Cripta di San Francesco, is St Francis' much-venerated tomb.
The Basilica Superiore, which was built immediately after the lower church and consecrated in 1253, is home to one of Italy's most famous works of art – a cycle of 28 frescoes depicting the life of St Francis. Vibrant and colourful, these are generally attributed to a young Giotto, though some art historians contest this, claiming that stylistic discrepancies suggest they were created by several different artists. To view them in the correct sequence, start on the right wall near the altar and work your way around in a clockwise order.
From outside the upper church, stairs lead down to the Romanesque Basilica Inferiore and yet more glorious works of art. Almost every inch of the vaulted, dimly lit church, constructed between 1228 and 1230, is adorned with frescoes by Giotto and fellow Sienese and Florentine masters Cimabue, Lorenzetti and Martini. Among the works to look out for are four vault frescoes (aka vele or 'sails') above the main altar. Attributed to Giotto and collaborators, including the mysterious Maestro delle Velle, these depict The Glory of St Francis and the Allegories of the Franciscan Virtues (poverty, chastity and obedience).
The basilica has its own information office, on the piazza in front of the lower church, where you can pick up an audio guide in 10 languages (€6). Groups of 10 or more can schedule guided tours (in various languages), led by a resident Franciscan friar – check the website or call ahead for booking details.
Eremo delle Carceri
Perched on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, this monastery is set around the caves where St Francis and his followers prayed and contemplated spiritual matters. The carceri (isolated places, or 'prisons') are as peaceful today as in St Francis' time, even though they're now surrounded by religious buildings. It's a claustrophobic walk down to Francesco's Grotta (cave), where he prayed and slept on a stone bed in his later years.
The oak woods around the Eremo are criss-crossed by several hiking trails. As you walk, look out for a series of bronze statues of St. Francis (kicking back on the ground, sandals off) and two friars, Ginepro and Leone, staring at the constellations.
The Eremo is about 4km east of Assisi – allow about an hour to walk there, less for the downhill return.
Duomo Di San Rufino
The San Rufino Cathedral or simply Assisi Cathedral is a favorite spot among pilgrims due to its connection to St. Francis’ life. It has a beautiful, Romanesque façade featuring three rose windows. Built atop an old Roman cistern in the 13th-century, the remodeled interior is primarily from the 16th century. Here you’ll find the fountain where both St. Francis and St. Clare were baptized. The Cathedral was dedicated to San Rufino, or St. Rufinus, after he converted Assisi to Christianity in AD 238 and was later martyred. It’s said that his remains still rest in a Roman sarcophagus in the cathedral.
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