Superior Basilica
It is characterized by its outstanding pictorial decoration divided into two principal sections: the “frescoes in the apse and transept by Cimabue” and his workshop, and “the main nave and volts by Giotto”. The sidewalls of the main nave are divided into three strips, “Francis’s life” on the lower side, and then in the central and upper bands we can detect scenes depicting the Old and New Testaments.

Santa Maria degli Angeli
It houses something that was of great importance in the life of San Francis. Built at the end of the 16^th century, the church, the 7^th world’s largest building, was conceived to house and unify the structures of the famous convent called “Porziuncola”, where the Saint chose to live, where he founded his Religious Order bearing his name, and where he died October 3rd in 1226. Pope Pius IV, commissioned the construction of this magnificent edifice, which project plan was entrusted to Galeazzo Alessi and completed one century later with the construction of the huge cupola.

Inside the enormous church, exactly beneath the vast cupola, is the old oratory called “Chapel of Porziuncola”, while the right transept is called “of the Transit’’, where behind the still original door, the stretched-down lifeless body of the Saint was found. Noteworthy is the Chapel of Roseto, whose name comes from a legend in which Francis would have made a plunge into a roses field, and the thorn would have suddenly disappeared. Inside the Convent of the Porziuncola, there is a painted crucifix dating back to the 13th century, and a portrait of Francis made by an unknown painter who then later came to be called master of San Francis.

Shrine of San Damasco
This is another significant place in the life of Francis, the Church of San Damaso. Here in 1205, the Saint would have heard a voice that said: <<Francis, go and restore my Church which is threatening to fall>>.

According to the reporter of the time, these words were uttered by the crucifix today held in the Church of Saint Claire. The edifice, indicated by the wooden crucifix, was that of the future church of San Damaso, then restored by Francis and his companions. Here, St. Claire founded the convent where Francis would compose the “Cantico”. Apart from the spiritual value of the site, the shrine is worth visiting from an artistic-architectural point of view, due to the splendid oratory of Claire, the cloister frescoed by Eusebio da San Giorgio, and the dining room.

Saint Claire Church
The second biggest church of Assisi was built in 1257 and consecrated 8 years later by Pope Clement the 4th, The body of the Saint had already been buried in 1260. The façade is simply adorned by a main portal surmounted by a gothic rose, while the right flank is supported by 3 enormous brick buttresses. The edifice is characterized by alternating pink and white local stone.
Internally, there are beautiful frescoes relating to “the life of Claire”; the Chapel of holy relics holds the famous crucifix dated the 13^th century which comes from San Damaso church.

From Santa Chiara Church, a steep hill with steps leads to the Cathedral of San Rufino, a medieval church that still preserves the baptismal font where Claire and Francis were baptized. On the left side of the church are ruins of a Roman theatre and amphitheater. On the churchyard, a plate indicates the place where the house of Claire rose.

From the Cathedral you can easily get to the heart of the city, Piazza del Comune as it was in the shape of its last restoration. It is developed around the Roman temple dedicated to Minerva built during the 1st. Century a.D. and transformed into a church sometime in the 15^th century. The square is also enclosed by two important edifices: the Palace of the Captain of People and the Palace of Priori (1300)

We suggest wearing comfortable shoes and appropriate clothes for visiting churches, monuments, and museums.