La Chiesa di Santa Chiara è uno dei luoghi di culto più importanti di Assisi, oltre che una preziosa testimonianza storico-artistica. L’edificio risale al XIII secolo e fu costruito in stile gotico italiano. Ricorda a livello artistico la stessa Basilica Superiore di San Francesco, ma è ben riconoscibile per la tipica pietra rosa che lo caratterizza e che proviene dalle cave del Monte Subasio.

La Chiesa conserva le alcune reliquie e le spoglie di Santa Chiara, situate nella cripta all’interno di un’apposita teca di cristallo e pietra rosa. La Santa trascorsa tutta la sua vita ad Assisi, dove visse e collaborò con San Francesco e fondò l’ordine monastico delle Clarisse.

Cosa vedere nella Chiesa di Santa Chiara

La Chiesa di Santa Chiara colpisce fin dalla piazza antistante, dove domina lo spazio con la usa imponenza, la bellezza dei suoi decori e la presenza degli archi rampanti sul fianco dell’edificio. Dalla piazza, inoltre, si può ammirare un panorama magnifico che, nelle giornate di cielo limpido, permette di abbracciare con lo sguardo tutta la vallata umbra da Montefalco a Perugia.

La Chiesa fu eretta tra il 1257 ed il 1265, lungo l’asse viario che collega Porta Nuova a San Francesco. La facciata, caratterizzata dai filari di pietra bianca e rosa, è dominata dal rosone e termina a timpano con un loculo centrale. Bellissimo il portale, con i due leoni a riposo che sostengono la lunetta su cui poggia la ghiera.

La Chiesa presenta una croce latina ed è costituita da un’unica navata centrale, che termina con il transetto e l’abside di forma poligonale. Al suo interno, contiene preziosi affreschi realizzati tra il XII e il XIV secolo.

Le prime due cappelle che si aprono sulla destra rappresentano l’area più antica dell’edificio, poiché si tratta dei resti della preesistete Chiesa di San Giorgio. Nella prima delle due, si può inoltre ammirare il Crocifisso in passato situato nella Chiesa di San Damiano il quale, secondo la tradizione, avrebbe invitato San Francesco ad operare per rifondare la Chiesa.

Nella cripta si trovano i resti terreni di Santa Chiara di Assisi e alcune reliquie particolarmente ben conservate: un saio di San Francesco ed una veste realizzata dalla Santa fra le altre.

Puoi inoltre approfondire i luoghi simbolo e gli itinerari consigliati ad Assisi nel nostro articolo su Cosa Vedere ad Assisi in un giorno

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La Vita di Santa Chiara da Assisi

Nata nel 1194 da una nobile famiglia locale, la bambina viene battezzata Chiara nella chiesa di San Rufino. Si narra che la madre, quando si era raccolta in preghiera pochi giorni prima del parto, aveva udito una voce annunciarle che avrebbe dato al mondo una “chiara luce” per illuminarlo. Durante gli anni dell’educazione, la ragazza seguì anche i crociati in Terra Santa, fu tuttavia la notte della domenica delle Palme, il 18 marzo 1212, l’esperienza che determinò una radicale svolta nel corso della sua vita: in quella notte infatti la fanciulla raggiunse di nascosto S.Francesco alla Porziuncola.

Come rituali iniziatici in segno di penitenza fu rivestita del saio francescano e le furono tagliati i capelli. Per oltre quaranta anni si ritirò alla vita monacale in San Damiano fuori le mura in estrema povertà e semplicità.

La sua “Regola” fu ufficialmente approvata nel 1252 da Papa Innocenzo IV, il quale giunto a S.Damiano per portarle la benedizione all’Ordine delle Clarisse dovette anche ufficiare i suoi riti funebri l’11 agosto 1253. Il rito fu tuttavia caratterizzato dal fatto che il Papa non volle che si cantasse la messa di requiem ma il rito festivo delle vergini.

The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century.
In the chapel on the right, along the unique nave of St. Clare of Assisi, finishing in transept and polygonal apse, you can admire the Crucifix which, according to tradition, would have invited St. Francesco in the church of St. Damiano in order to “reset up the Church”.

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This chapel and the successive one are the remaining pieces of the pre-existing church of St. Giorgio and they represent the most ancient part of the edifice. In the crypt we have preserved the land remains of St. Clare of Assisi and some relics particularly well preserved: among them there is a frock of San Francesco and a cloth realized by St. Clare.
From the Place in front of the church, characterized by the presence of rampant arches on the side of the edifice and of the façade with central rose, you can profit of a large panorama, allowing during the days of clear sky to embrace in an unique gaze the Umbrian valley from Montefalco to Perugia.

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Born in 1194 in a noble family, the girl is baptized Clare in the church of Rufino, because the mother, when she was praying a few days before delivering, had eared a voice telling her she would have given to the world a “clear light” to enlighten it. During the years of education, the Saint also followed the crusaders in Promise Land. However, it was during the night of the Palm Sunday, on March 18th 1212, that took place the experience that determined a radical change in her life; in fact, during that night, the girl joined in secret St. Francesco at the “Porziuncola”. As rituals of initiation the Saint was covered with the Franciscan frock and her hair was cut as a sign of penitence. For more than forty years she retired to monastic life in the church of San Damiano in extreme poverty and simplicity. Her Rule was officially approved in 1252 by Pope Innocenzo IV who, when he arrived to St. Damiano to give the benediction to the Order of “the Clarisse” also had to officiate the funeral rites of the Saint died on August 11th 1253. The rite was characterized by the fact that the Pope did not want that was song the mass of requiem but the celebration rite of the virgins.

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The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century.
In the chapel on the right, along the unique nave of St. Clare of Assisi, finishing in transept and polygonal apse, you can admire the Crucifix which, according to tradition, would have invited St. Francesco in the church of St. Damiano in order to “reset up the Church”.

This chapel and the successive one are the remaining pieces of the pre-existing church of St. Giorgio and they represent the most ancient part of the edifice. In the crypt we have preserved the land remains of St. Clare of Assisi and some relics particularly well preserved: among them there is a frock of San Francesco and a cloth realized by St. Clare.
From the Place in front of the church, characterized by the presence of rampant arches on the side of the edifice and of the façade with central rose, you can profit of a large panorama, allowing during the days of clear sky to embrace in an unique gaze the Umbrian valley from Montefalco to Perugia.

Born in 1194 in a noble family, the girl is baptized Clare in the church of Rufino, because the mother, when she was praying a few days before delivering, had eared a voice telling her she would have given to the world a “clear light” to enlighten it. During the years of education, the Saint also followed the crusaders in Promise Land. However, it was during the night of the Palm Sunday, on March 18th 1212, that took place the experience that determined a radical change in her life; in fact, during that night, the girl joined in secret St. Francesco at the “Porziuncola”. As rituals of initiation the Saint was covered with the Franciscan frock and her hair was cut as a sign of penitence. For more than forty years she retired to monastic life in the church of San Damiano in extreme poverty and simplicity. Her Rule was officially approved in 1252 by Pope Innocenzo IV who, when he arrived to St. Damiano to give the benediction to the Order of “the Clarisse” also had to officiate the funeral rites of the Saint died on August 11th 1253. The rite was characterized by the fact that the Pope did not want that was song the mass of requiem but the celebration rite of the virgins.

La sua “Regola” fu ufficialmente approvata nel 1252 da Papa Innocenzo IV, il quale giunto a S.Damiano per portarle la benedizione all’Ordine delle Clarisse dovette anche ufficiare i suoi riti funebri l’11 agosto 1253. Il rito fu tuttavia caratterizzato dal fatto che il Papa non volle che si cantasse la messa di requiem ma il rito festivo delle vergini.

The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century.
In the chapel on the right, along the unique nave of St. Clare of Assisi, finishing in transept and polygonal apse, you can admire the Crucifix which, according to tradition, would have invited St. Francesco in the church of St. Damiano in order to “reset up the Church”.

This chapel and the successive one are the remaining pieces of the pre-existing church of St. Giorgio and they represent the most ancient part of the edifice. In the crypt we have preserved the land remains of St. Clare of Assisi and some relics particularly well preserved: among them there is a frock of San Francesco and a cloth realized by St. Clare.
From the Place in front of the church, characterized by the presence of rampant arches on the side of the edifice and of the façade with central rose, you can profit of a large panorama, allowing during the days of clear sky to embrace in an unique gaze the Umbrian valley from Montefalco to Perugia.

Born in 1194 in a noble family, the girl is baptized Clare in the church of Rufino, because the mother, when she was praying a few days before delivering, had eared a voice telling her she would have given to the world a “clear light” to enlighten it. During the years of education, the Saint also followed the crusaders in Promise Land. However, it was during the night of the Palm Sunday, on March 18th 1212, that took place the experience that determined a radical change in her life; in fact, during that night, the girl joined in secret St. Francesco at the “Porziuncola”. As rituals of initiation the Saint was covered with the Franciscan frock and her hair was cut as a sign of penitence. For more than forty years she retired to monastic life in the church of San Damiano in extreme poverty and simplicity. Her Rule was officially approved in 1252 by Pope Innocenzo IV who, when he arrived to St. Damiano to give the benediction to the Order of “the Clarisse” also had to officiate the funeral rites of the Saint died on August 11th 1253. The rite was characterized by the fact that the Pope did not want that was song the mass of requiem but the celebration rite of the virgins.

The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century.
In the chapel on the right, along the unique nave of St. Clare of Assisi, finishing in transept and polygonal apse, you can admire the Crucifix which, according to tradition, would have invited St. Francesco in the church of St. Damiano in order to “reset up the Church”.

This chapel and the successive one are the remaining pieces of the pre-existing church of St. Giorgio and they represent the most ancient part of the edifice. In the crypt we have preserved the land remains of St. Clare of Assisi and some relics particularly well preserved: among them there is a frock of San Francesco and a cloth realized by St. Clare.
From the Place in front of the church, characterized by the presence of rampant arches on the side of the edifice and of the façade with central rose, you can profit of a large panorama, allowing during the days of clear sky to embrace in an unique gaze the Umbrian valley from Montefalco to Perugia.

Born in 1194 in a noble family, the girl is baptized Clare in the church of Rufino, because the mother, when she was praying a few days before delivering, had eared a voice telling her she would have given to the world a “clear light” to enlighten it. During the years of education, the Saint also followed the crusaders in Promise Land. However, it was during the night of the Palm Sunday, on March 18th 1212, that took place the experience that determined a radical change in her life; in fact, during that night, the girl joined in secret St. Francesco at the “Porziuncola”. As rituals of initiation the Saint was covered with the Franciscan frock and her hair was cut as a sign of penitence. For more than forty years she retired to monastic life in the church of San Damiano in extreme poverty and simplicity. Her Rule was officially approved in 1252 by Pope Innocenzo IV who, when he arrived to St. Damiano to give the benediction to the Order of “the Clarisse” also had to officiate the funeral rites of the Saint died on August 11th 1253. The rite was characterized by the fact that the Pope did not want that was song the mass of requiem but the celebration rite of the virgins.