ASSISI
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The Basilica of St. Francis and the Sacro Convento. The Basilica complex is composed of two churches built one above the other - the lower one dating from 1228-1230 and the upper one from 1230-1253 -and a crypt dug in 1818 which houses the Saint's tomb. The entrance to the Lower Basilicas in Piazza Inferiore delimited by a portico which dates from the 15th-16th centuries. The beautiful double portal is surmounted by three rose-windows.
The Basilica is laid out in a double T shape and was decorated by the greatest painters of the 13th and 14th centuries: Cimabue, Giotto, the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini. The stained glass windows by Giovanni di Bonino and Puccio Capanna are especially beautiful.
The Upper Basilica has an undivided nave and is adorned by Giotto's frescos illustrating the life of St. Francis. There are also works by Cimabue, Cavallini, and Torriti, and a carved and inlaid wooden choir dating from the late 15th century.
The monastery houses a remarkable treasury composed of rare illuminated manuscripts,
paintings, reliquiaries, tapestries, church vestements and altar frontals. Of particular interest is the material from the Perkins collection.
In Via San Francesco, there are the 13th century House of the Maestri Comancini and behind this the medieval Vicolo di Sant'Andrea, the Municipal library and archives, the 15th century Oratorio dei Pellegrini, the Monte Frumentario (a 13th century corn market) and the 16th century Oliviera Fountain.
Facing onto Piazza del Comune are: the Roman Temple of Minerva (dating from the 1st century B.C.), the 13th century Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo and at its side the Torre del Popolo, completed in 1305, and the Palazzo dei Priori which dates from the 14th century and is the site of the present-day Town Hall. On the street level of this building there is the Mumicipal Art Gallery (Pinacoteca Comunale) containing frescos from various schools.
The Museum and Roman Forum preserve Roman and Etruscan remains. The Forum is located below Piazza del Comune and encompasses the original Roman paving, the base of the Temple of Minerva and the Magistrates'Tribune.
Chiesa Nuova - This baroque church was built in 1615 on the remains of a building believed to be the house of St. Francis' family. St. Francis was supposedly born in the nearby Oratorio di San Francesco Piccolino.
The Basilica of St. Claire is an example of Italian Gothic architecture. Designed by Filippo da Campello, it was constructed between 1257-1265, it contains priceless paintings from the 12th, 13th, anf 14th centuries and the famous crucifix venerated by saint Francis in the church of San Damiano. The body of St. Claire is preserved in the crypt.
The Cathedral of St. Rufino was built to house the remains of the bishop St. Rufino. The impressive romanesque façade dating from 1140 is adorned with three rose-windows and symbolic sculpture. The interior was altered in the 16th century, but there is still the baptismal font where St. Francis, St. Claire and Federico II were baptized. The Cappella del Sacramento, the wooden choir, the Roman cistern and the crypt are points of interest.
The Cathedral Museum and Archives are connected to the Cathedral (valuable works by Puccio Capanna and others).
Other monuments: the Church of San Stefano (13th century), in one of the most picturesque corners of the town; the Church of San Giacomo de Muro Rupto (11th century);the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the first Cathedral of Assisi; the Church of San Pietro (10th to 13th centuries) with its elegant façade and the original dome above the raised presbitery; the Gallery of Contemporary Religious Art at the Cittadella Cristiana; Fonte Marcella (16th century fountain); the Rocca Maggiore, a typical example of medieval military architecture; from its summit a breathtaking view of the city can be enjoyed.
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