Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi
Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi
Basilica Sancti Francisci Assisiensis
The Lower and Upper basilicas and the portico, as seen from the Lower Plaza of Saint Francis.
Map
43°04′29″N 12°36′20″E / 43.07472°N 12.60556°E / 43.07472; 12.60556
LocationAssisi, Italy
DenominationRoman Catholic
Religious orderOrder of Friars Minor Conventual
Websitesanfrancescoassisi.org
History
StatusPapal minor basilica
Consecrated1253
Architecture
Architect(s)Maestro Jacopo Tedesco[1]
Architectural typeChurch
StyleRomanesque, Italian Gothic
Groundbreaking1227
Specifications
Length80 metres (260 ft)
Width50 metres (160 ft)
Nave width18 metres (59 ft)
Administration
DivisionPontifical Legation for the Basilicas of Saint Francis and Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi[2]
DioceseDiocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino
Official nameAssisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
TypeCultural
Criteriai, ii, iii, iv, vi
Designated2000 (24th session)
Reference no.990
RegionEurope and North America

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi; Latin: Basilica Sancti Francisci Assisiensis) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Assisi, a town in the Umbria region in central Italy, where Saint Francis was born and died. It is a papal minor basilica and one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy. With its accompanying friary, Sacro Convento, the basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches (known as the Upper Church and the Lower Church) and a crypt, where the remains of the saint are interred. The interior of the Upper Church is an important early example of the Gothic style in Italy. The Upper and Lower Churches are decorated with frescoes by numerous late medieval painters from the Roman and Tuscan schools, and include works by Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti, and possibly Pietro Cavallini. The range and quality of the works give the basilica a unique importance in demonstrating the outstanding development of Italian art of this period, especially if compared with the rest of Christian Europe.

  1. ^ Giorgio Vasari, "Vite de'più eccellenti pittori, scultori e architetti".
  2. ^ Pope Benedict XVI (9 November 2005). "Totius Orbis Of The Holy Father Benedict XVI for the Coordination of Pastoral Activities and Initiatives at the Basilicas of St Francis and of St Mary of the Angels in Assisi". Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio". Holy See. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.