La Basilica di San Francesco è il luogo sacro per eccellenza di Assisi, poiché qui sono conservate e custodite le spoglie del celebre santo.

La Basilica è costituita da un complesso di immenso valore artistico, sia per le strutture architettoniche sia per i preziosi affreschi e decori interni, che vede integrarsi con armonia due differenti edifici. L’insieme vede due chiese sovrapposte: la Basilica Superiore di aspetto gotico, luminosa e slanciata, e la Basilica Inferiore più bassa e austera, cui si accede attraverso un portale in stile gotico. A queste si aggiunge la Cripta con la Tomba di San Francesco, il cuore pulsante delle Basiliche.

La Basilica di San Francesco dal 2000 è stata inserita nella lista dei Patrimoni dell’Umanità dell’UNESCO, assieme ad una serie di siti francescani dell’area umbra.

Storia e costruzione della Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi

Secondo la tradizione, la Basilica sorge là dove Francesco aveva scelto di essere sepolto: presso la collina inferiore della città di Assisi, zona che nel Medioevo era nota come “Collis Inferni” (Colle dell’Inferno) poiché qui venivano solitamente sepolti i condannati dalla giustizia dopo le esecuzioni pubbliche. Il colle venne rinominato “Collis Paradisi” e vi venne posta la prima pietra per il cantiere della Basilica. Questo venne avviato per volontà di Papa Gregorio IX nel 1228, a seguito della proclamazione a Santo di Francesco, a soli due anni dalla sua morte.

L’edificio della Basilica Inferiore venne concluso in circa due anni di lavoro, mentre per la parte superiore ne vennero impiegati circa sei. In seguito, la costruzione fu oggetto di numerosi interventi che nei secoli contribuirono a determinarne l’aspetto attuale.

La struttura architettonica nel suo insieme vide la progressiva integrazione con:

• la realizzazione di un campanile con cuspidi (1239)
• la costruzione di un portico di fronte all’edificio inferiore (nel corso del ‘400)
• l’aggiunta di un atrio in pietra ancora per il portale (1445)
• l’eliminazione delle cuspidi del campanile (1518)

All’interno della Basilica di San Francesco

Nella Basilica Inferiore, l’interno ad una navata con transetto ospita gli straordinari “affreschi allegorici” di Giotto, la “Madonna Angeli e San Francesco” e i “Cinque Santi” di Simone Martini, gli “Episodi della vita e della passione di Cristo”, la “Madonna e Santi” e le “Stigmate” di Lorenzetti.

Ancora opere di Simone Martini e Giotto sono rispettivamente nella prima cappella destra con la “Vita di San Martino” e nella terza con “Santi e storie della Madonna”. Nel 1818 in seguito agli scavi sotto l’altare furono riportate alla luce e, dopo attento esame ufficialmente riconosciute, le spoglia del Santo; solo due anni più tardi, per volontà del Papa Pio IX, fu avviata la costruzione della cripta in stile neoclassico nella Basilica inferiore.
L’aspetto attuale è tuttavia il frutto di un’opera di semplificazione avvenuta intorno al 1920. La chiesa superiore ad una sola navata con abside e raffinate vetrate del 1200 è affrescata con il ciclo “La vita del Santo” di Giotto realizzato fra il 1296 e il 1300, con le “Storie del Vecchio e Nuovo Testamento” della scuola del Cimabue e nel transetto, nella crociera e nell’ abside con affreschi dello stesso Cimabue risalenti al 1277 oltre ad opere di altri maestri quali Cavallini e Torriti.

Buona visita alla Basilica di San Francesco!

The church of St. Francis of Assisi rises up today in the place where the Saint had chosen to be buried, in the area of Assisi which was famous in the Middle Ages as the “hill of hell”, or better the place that, at that time, was used for public executions.

The building site of the basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was opened in 1228 upon the desire of Pope Gregorio IX (Gregory IXth) and thanks to the activity of friar Elia, vicar of the Order chosen by St. Francis himself.
Only two years were needed to complete the architectonic structure of the inferior Basilica of Assisi and only other six to inaugurate the superior Basilica of St. Francis. The actual aspect is however the result of various interventions among which it is good to remember the realization of the belfry with rises (1239), the building of a portico in front of the inferior Basilica (‘400) and a vestibule in stone still for the portal of the inferior Basilica (1445), the elimination of the rises of the belfry (1518).

The building is composed of two churches, one above the other.The upper church is of Gothic aspect,luminous and slender; the lower one, however, which one enters passing through a Gothic portal of the 13th century, is low and austere.
Here, the interior composed of one nave with transept, contains the extraordinary allegorical frecsoes” by Giotto, the “Madonna with Angels and St. Francis” and the “Five Saints” by Simone Martini, the “Episodes of the Life and the Passion of Christ”, the “Madonna and Saints” and the “Stigmata of St. Francis” by Lorenzetti.
Other works by Simone Martini and Giotto are to be found respectively in the first chapel to the right with the “Life of Saint Martin” and in the third with “Saints and Stories of the Madonna”.
In 1818, after the excavations under the altar, were brought back to light and after careful examination officially recognized, the remains of the Saint; only two years later, by order of Pope Pio IX, the building of the crypt was launched in neoclassical stile in the inferior Basilica. The actual aspect is however the result of a work of simplification that took place around 1920.

The upper church composed of only one nave with apsis and fine windows of the 13th century contains the frescoes of the cycle “The life of Saint” by Giotto, with the “Stories of the Old and the New Testaments” by the school of Cimabue, and in the transept, in the cross vault and in the apsis frescoes by the same Cimabue dating back to 1277 in addition to works of other maestro such as Cavallini and Torriti.

Opening hours of the Basilica are available on the official website of the Basilica of  St. Francis in Assisi.

The church of St. Francis of Assisi rises up today in the place where the Saint had chosen to be buried, in the area of Assisi which was famous in the Middle Ages as the “hill of hell”, or better the place that, at that time, was used for public executions.

The building site of the basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was opened in 1228 upon the desire of Pope Gregorio IX (Gregory IXth) and thanks to the activity of friar Elia, vicar of the Order chosen by St. Francis himself.
Only two years were needed to complete the architectonic structure of the inferior Basilica of Assisi and only other six to inaugurate the superior Basilica of St. Francis. The actual aspect is however the result of various interventions among which it is good to remember the realization of the belfry with rises (1239), the building of a portico in front of the inferior Basilica (‘400) and a vestibule in stone still for the portal of the inferior Basilica (1445), the elimination of the rises of the belfry (1518).

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The building is composed of two churches, one above the other.The upper church is of Gothic aspect,luminous and slender; the lower one, however, which one enters passing through a Gothic portal of the 13th century, is low and austere.
Here, the interior composed of one nave with transept, contains the extraordinary allegorical frecsoes” by Giotto, the “Madonna with Angels and St. Francis” and the “Five Saints” by Simone Martini, the “Episodes of the Life and the Passion of Christ”, the “Madonna and Saints” and the “Stigmata of St. Francis” by Lorenzetti.

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Other works by Simone Martini and Giotto are to be found respectively in the first chapel to the right with the “Life of Saint Martin” and in the third with “Saints and Stories of the Madonna”.
In 1818, after the excavations under the altar, were brought back to light and after careful examination officially recognized, the remains of the Saint; only two years later, by order of Pope Pio IX, the building of the crypt was launched in neoclassical stile in the inferior Basilica. The actual aspect is however the result of a work of simplification that took place around 1920.

The upper church composed of only one nave with apsis and fine windows of the 13th century contains the frescoes of the cycle “The life of Saint” by Giotto, with the “Stories of the Old and the New Testaments” by the school of Cimabue, and in the transept, in the cross vault and in the apsis frescoes by the same Cimabue dating back to 1277 in addition to works of other maestro such as Cavallini and Torriti.

Opening hours of the Basilica are available on the official website of the Basilica of  St. Francis in Assisi.

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The church of St. Francis of Assisi rises up today in the place where the Saint had chosen to be buried, in the area of Assisi which was famous in the Middle Ages as the “hill of hell”, or better the place that, at that time, was used for public executions.

The building site of the basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was opened in 1228 upon the desire of Pope Gregorio IX (Gregory IXth) and thanks to the activity of friar Elia, vicar of the Order chosen by St. Francis himself.
Only two years were needed to complete the architectonic structure of the inferior Basilica of Assisi and only other six to inaugurate the superior Basilica of St. Francis. The actual aspect is however the result of various interventions among which it is good to remember the realization of the belfry with rises (1239), the building of a portico in front of the inferior Basilica (‘400) and a vestibule in stone still for the portal of the inferior Basilica (1445), the elimination of the rises of the belfry (1518).

The building is composed of two churches, one above the other.The upper church is of Gothic aspect,luminous and slender; the lower one, however, which one enters passing through a Gothic portal of the 13th century, is low and austere.
Here, the interior composed of one nave with transept, contains the extraordinary allegorical frecsoes” by Giotto, the “Madonna with Angels and St. Francis” and the “Five Saints” by Simone Martini, the “Episodes of the Life and the Passion of Christ”, the “Madonna and Saints” and the “Stigmata of St. Francis” by Lorenzetti.
Other works by Simone Martini and Giotto are to be found respectively in the first chapel to the right with the “Life of Saint Martin” and in the third with “Saints and Stories of the Madonna”.
In 1818, after the excavations under the altar, were brought back to light and after careful examination officially recognized, the remains of the Saint; only two years later, by order of Pope Pio IX, the building of the crypt was launched in neoclassical stile in the inferior Basilica. The actual aspect is however the result of a work of simplification that took place around 1920.

The upper church composed of only one nave with apsis and fine windows of the 13th century contains the frescoes of the cycle “The life of Saint” by Giotto, with the “Stories of the Old and the New Testaments” by the school of Cimabue, and in the transept, in the cross vault and in the apsis frescoes by the same Cimabue dating back to 1277 in addition to works of other maestro such as Cavallini and Torriti.

Opening hours of the Basilica are available on the official website of the Basilica of  St. Francis in Assisi.

The church of St. Francis of Assisi rises up today in the place where the Saint had chosen to be buried, in the area of Assisi which was famous in the Middle Ages as the “hill of hell”, or better the place that, at that time, was used for public executions.

The building site of the basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was opened in 1228 upon the desire of Pope Gregorio IX (Gregory IXth) and thanks to the activity of friar Elia, vicar of the Order chosen by St. Francis himself.
Only two years were needed to complete the architectonic structure of the inferior Basilica of Assisi and only other six to inaugurate the superior Basilica of St. Francis. The actual aspect is however the result of various interventions among which it is good to remember the realization of the belfry with rises (1239), the building of a portico in front of the inferior Basilica (‘400) and a vestibule in stone still for the portal of the inferior Basilica (1445), the elimination of the rises of the belfry (1518).

The building is composed of two churches, one above the other.The upper church is of Gothic aspect,luminous and slender; the lower one, however, which one enters passing through a Gothic portal of the 13th century, is low and austere.
Here, the interior composed of one nave with transept, contains the extraordinary allegorical frecsoes” by Giotto, the “Madonna with Angels and St. Francis” and the “Five Saints” by Simone Martini, the “Episodes of the Life and the Passion of Christ”, the “Madonna and Saints” and the “Stigmata of St. Francis” by Lorenzetti.
Other works by Simone Martini and Giotto are to be found respectively in the first chapel to the right with the “Life of Saint Martin” and in the third with “Saints and Stories of the Madonna”.
In 1818, after the excavations under the altar, were brought back to light and after careful examination officially recognized, the remains of the Saint; only two years later, by order of Pope Pio IX, the building of the crypt was launched in neoclassical stile in the inferior Basilica. The actual aspect is however the result of a work of simplification that took place around 1920.

The upper church composed of only one nave with apsis and fine windows of the 13th century contains the frescoes of the cycle “The life of Saint” by Giotto, with the “Stories of the Old and the New Testaments” by the school of Cimabue, and in the transept, in the cross vault and in the apsis frescoes by the same Cimabue dating back to 1277 in addition to works of other maestro such as Cavallini and Torriti.

Opening hours of the Basilica are available on the official website of the Basilica of  St. Francis in Assisi.