San Francesco, the church that houses the remains of St. Francis, may not match up to a handful of other spectacular churches in Italy in terms of exterior appeal, but inside its frescoes evoke “ooohs” and “aaahs.” An earthquake heavily damaged the church in 1997, but much of that damage has been repaired after meticulous restoration work. (Kent Harris / S&S)
San Francesco, the church that houses the remains of St. Francis, may not match up to a handful of other spectacular churches in Italy in terms of exterior appeal, but inside its frescoes evoke “ooohs” and “aaahs.” An earthquake heavily damaged the church in 1997, but much of that damage has been repaired after meticulous restoration work. (Kent Harris / S&S)
The Rocca Maggiore, currently undergoing reconstruction, towers over the city of Assisi. But more tourists navigate the winding streets of the Umbrian city than climb the hill to visit the medieval fortress. (Kent Harris / S&S)
A work of art over the Duomo Di San Rufino is carved from the white and pink rocks found in the area surrounding Assisi. Builders of churches across Italy took advantage of the native materials, giving the structures in different regions a range of different looks. (Kent Harris / S&S)
Marco Bellanca, an Italian licensed to give tours in the Italian region of Umbria, explains how elevated doors such as this one were used partly as a means of defense for households in cities such as Assisi hundreds of years ago. (Kent Harris / S&S)
In Assisi, signs point in opposite directions to San Francesco, the Roman Catholic church that contains the remains of St. Francis. (Kent Harris / S&S)
There was a city on the site of Assisi in Italy more than 1,000 years before the wife of a local merchant gave birth to a child she named Giovanni.
But for the last 800 years or so, Umbria’s best-known city has been associated with that baby, who would grow up to be one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most renowned and beloved saints.
Just about everything one sees in the city today can be traced in some way back to San Francesco, better known to English speakers as St. Francis of Assisi.
The most obvious example is the basilica of San Francesco, a large, multilevel complex named after the saint that houses his remains. But that’s far from all.
A few blocks away, there’s the basilica of San Chiara, built to honor (and house the remains) of St. Clare, Francis’ contemporary and founder of the Poor Clares religious order. The Franciscan Order itself, founded by the saint, maintains a strong presence in the city.
Then there are the souvenir shops that sell a large assortment of goods to the tourists who stream into the city. Many of those tourists are, in fact, modern-day pilgrims looking for some kind of inspiration.
Marco Bellanca, an Umbrian native who is licensed to lead tours through the city, says he feels inspired every time he visits Assisi.
“Just for the church you would need maybe two days,” he says when asked how much time a tourist should set aside for a visit. When that response elicits an arched eyebrow, he admits that most tourists aren’t that meticulous when it comes to seeing new things.
“Ordinary people stay for three or four hours,” he says. “A full day is also possible, because there’s so much to see.”
During a recent tour, Bellanca touched on some of the highlights. Many of them, unsurprisingly, have something to do with St. Francis.
But just who was this man who inspired others to give up their worldly possessions and follow his example?
“We don’t exactly know the date or year when Francis was born,” Bellanca says, adding that it was some time in the 12th century.
More is known about Francis’ life after that. Christened Giovanni by his mother, he was called Francesco (Francis in English), by his father. The family had achieved a great deal of wealth through trade with France. In fact, his father was away on one such trip when the future saint was born. But on his return, he decided he’d honor his good customers with the nickname Francesco for his son.
The family wasn’t part of the nobility, but Francis grew up more privileged than most. He was among those who stirred up the local population in one of the many wars the Italian city states fought with one another at the time. In a (losing) battle against nearby Perugia, Francis was captured and held in jail for a year.
When he returned, he decided to join a Crusade in the Holy Land. But on his way south to reach a boat, he became ill. Taken back to Assisi, he spent the next six months in bed.
Bellanca says the two events gave the wealthy young man time to think about his life. He emerged a different person — too different for his father, who allowed his son to toss away some of the family’s fortune for a short time, then confronted him.
In a meeting before the local bishop, Francis renounced his father’s wealth, to the point of taking off the clothes he was wearing and handing them over.
His ideas of living a life of chastity, poverty and obedience — three tenets of the Franciscans — found followers. Instead of openly targeting church practices, and attracting charges of heresy as others were, Francis worked with church leaders and eventually was given his own order.
A few years later, Clare — the beautiful and wealthy daughter of a noble family — tried to join the order. After meeting opposition from church leaders, she eventually was able to found a similar order for women.
Both saints have their own basilicas in Assisi. And the remains of each are interred in the church named after them.
The basilica of San Francesco is more impressive on the inside than outside, thanks to the colorful frescoes that cover most of its interior.
The church is made up of several levels and was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1997. Two people inside the church at the time were killed, and a part of the ceiling collapsed. That portion has been restored, though there are some bare spots on the walls where frescoes were destroyed by the quake.
The basilica, which sits to the far west of the city, is actually a series of churches. The original church was constructed after the saint’s death.
Later, a larger church was built on top of it. It wasn’t until hundreds of years later during excavations under the original church that Francis’ remains were found. So, today, pilgrims have three levels of the structure to navigate.
San Francesco and San Chiara are just two of the more than two dozen churches in Assisi. The city’s main cathedral is the Duomo Di San Rufino.
An earlier incarnation of the church was in existence in Francis’ lifetime.
Hundreds of years before that, Assisi was known as Assisium to the Romans. In fact, there were people living on the slopes where the city was founded before there was a Roman Empire.
A few remnants of the Roman days can be seen today. The Temple of Minerva, built in the century before the birth of Christ, is on the city’s main square: Piazza Del Commune.
The temple has undergone several incarnations throughout the years, though some of the structure dates from its original construction. To the east of the city, a stone wall in a residential neighborhood is all that is left of a Roman amphitheater.
That neighborhood doesn’t attract a lot of tourists, Bellanca says. But there aren’t a lot of neighborhoods in Assisi, period. The city’s official population is listed at only about 1,000 — and that’s a bit misleading because many merchants live in surrounding towns in the valley below the city and go to Assisi to work.
Bellanca says the city has managed to retain its charm through the years thanks to its history, careful maintenance of its structures and narrow streets, and a location that hasn’t attracted a lot of new construction.
While several small communities dot the landscape on one side facing the city, the other faces rugged wilderness.
Today, Assisi thrives on tourism but somehow doesn’t seem swamped by the masses. That doesn’t mean the situation doesn’t provide some quirks.
“If you’re looking for a lightbulb in Assisi, you won’t find it,” Bellanca says. At least not in a store. “And everyone wonders, like I do, if these people eat souvenirs for lunch.”
That was a reference to the number of souvenir shops as much as the town’s restaurants — there is more than enough of the former, and, though much fewer, a sufficient amount of the latter.
But don’t expect to see an American-style fast food restaurant peddling “St. Francis burgers.” After all, one of the things the saint is most known for is his conversations with his animal friends.
More about Assisi ...
What: Assisi, Italy, is the hometown of St. Francis, a Catholic saint and founder of the Franciscan Order. He is known for his impoverished lifestyle and his love of God’s creatures and creations.
Why: You don’t have to be Catholic to know something about St. Francis. There have been numerous books and movies about his life. Assisi’s location attracts visitors on its own. The whitish-walled city, which sits on mountain slopes overlooking a large valley, can be seen from several miles away.
Although it caters to tourists, there are several small roads and places where one can get away from the crowds. And compared with some other Italian cities, the city generally sparkles with cleanliness.
The city boasts several hotels, a handful of restaurants and dozens of places to buy souvenirs — ranging in taste and price.
Where: Assisi is in Umbria, a region in Italy that’s often overlooked in tourist itineraries. Toscana (Tuscany) is to the west and Lazio (featuring Rome) is to the southwest. Perugia, about 20 minutes away via the highway, is the closest large city.
How: You can reach Assisi by car from several directions. It’s about an hour’s drive off the A1 autrostrada (via smaller highways) and there are several smaller roads that connect it to the surrounding region. It is about a 2½-hour drive from Rome and about six hours south of Venice, depending on traffic.
Parking is available at several lots in the city. There’s one below the basilica of San Francesco. But the best option for those with some time to explore is probably the lot in the eastern (upper) part of the city in Piazza Matteotti. Parking there allows walkers to start at one end of the city, going generally downhill with the basilica capping the trip at the western end.
The train station is several kilometers away, below the city. Catch a bus or try getting a taxi to the city.
When: The biggest tourist months are April through June and September and October. It gets hot in July and August and air conditioning can be rare.
The Christmas season also sees visitors, many making religious pilgrimages.
Who: Useful contacts include Consorzio Albergatori Ed Operatori Turistici Di Assisi (information and booking) — telephone (+39) 075816566 or (+39) 075813599; fax (+39) 075812315.
On the Internet: www.assisihotels.net, www.krenet.it, www.umbria2000.it
Also, Associazione Guide Turistiche Dell’Umbria (guided tours), phone (+39) 075815228; fax (+39) 075815229. Internet www.umbria.org/tourguides.
— Kent Harris
