Not Only a Town Of Saints...

Founded by the Umbrian on the mountain slope terrace oriented Subasio the Umbrian valley, had deep contacts with the Etruscan culture. Was an important Roman town (Asisium), as witnessed by the monumental ruins: the walls, the forum, the Temple of Minerva, theater and amphitheater. Perhaps in 50 to. C. I was born Roman poet Propertius. The martyrdom of the first bishop, San Rufino, testifies to the spread of Christianity in sec.III. Was invaded by the Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and attached to their duchy of Spoleto. After Mille became a free commune. The Emperor Frederick Barbarossa besieged and surrendered, settling in the Rocca Maggiore, where he also lived a few years later Frederick II of Swabia, baptized by the Pope in Assisi and given to the Duke of Spoleto Conrad of Lutzen. Fancesco was born in 1182 and, ten years later, Clare. In 1198 the citizens revolted against the Lombard Duke that stifled the democratic government, drove him and destroyed the fortress. Memorable year for the city was 1253, when the Pope consecrated three churches to the worship of the faithful: the Basilica of St. Francis, the church of San Rufino and St. Peter. The infighting between rival families and those with neighboring cities attracted the intervention of the Pope, who had rebuilt the Rocca Maggiore by Cardinal Albornoz in mid-1300. The city and its suburbs were disputed by the Church, from Perugia, the Visconti, the Montefeltro, by Fortinbras arm, the Sforza, the Baglioni, the Duke Cesare Borgia. The struggle between two powerful local families, and the Nepis Rivers, who controlled the two urban areas, respectively Upper Part and Lower Part, weakened the city, which passed definitively to the Church in 1500. There followed three centuries of impoverishment. The religious, economic and cultural received new impetus at the solemn celebrations of the 7th centenary of the death of Saint Francis (1926) and its proclamation as the patron saint of Italy (1939) in the same year came the Pro Civitate Christiana which established the center of Christological studies. The religious vocation of the city, open to all faiths of the world, will have its center in the fourteenth century church of S. Cross, dedicated to solidarity. The urban structure is decidedly medieval, two-fourteenth century, for the bright pink and white stone Subasio, irregular morphology of the terrain. Along the walls, well preserved, open doors 8. In the walls of old houses that line the streets are still observed the "gates of the dead."
Basilica of St. Francis and the Sacred Convent rises on the side, which overlooks the urban mass. The Pope laid the foundation stone in 1228, giving charge to Brother Elias, mate Fancesco to erect a church to house the Saint's body, a convent and a palace to welcome the Pope. Designed from the outset in two rows of the Church, two years after it was finished at the bottom where, in the crypt, was placed the body of the saint, then walled up for fear that enemies were stolen from Perugia. He was found in 1818 under the high altar, on the occasion of some restoration. Completed the lower church was built the upper one, consecrated by the Pope in 1253. The bulk of the building is softened by a double row of tall arches that create a chiaroscuro effect and the apparent irregularities in the provision of plans and facades, but embellished by elegant linear portals. The height of the square bell tower is marked by vertical motifs. The porch access to the lower church was added in 1400. In the crypt are the remains of the saint. The windows are of 1200-1300. The style is Gothic, with vaulted ceilings and walls painted by the greatest artists of the time. All of the basilica is a huge museum of works.
Basilica di Santa Chiara has many similarities with the facade of the upper basilica of St. Francis: the period of construction (mid 1200), the simplicity of the Gothic style, the three orders horizontal, the white and pink stone Subasio, the ornate portal . The three lateral buttresses were added at the beginning of 1300 for static reasons. The side chapel was added at the end of 1300. The square bell tower, on which there are single and double windows, culminating in a spire. The Gothic interior has a Latin cross divided nave of four bays with columns, polygonal apse and transept. The altar is surrounded by 12 columns of 400, with a wrought iron gate of the '700. The crypt houses the tomb of the saint.
Church of St. Rufino - Dedicated to San Rufino bishop and martyr, were baptized in the baptismal font St. Francis, St. Clare, Frederick II of Swabia. Interesting is the visit of the underground, where you can see a tank, a crypt, the remains of walls and Roman inscriptions. Palazzo dei Priori was built in 300, made up of four bodies archiettonici, was extensively renovated in the '30s. On the ground floor there is the rich art gallery in the basement Volta Pinta, the depiction of a cave, according to the taste of half of the 500.
Rocca Major / Minor was a feudal stronghold, perhaps Lombard, with un'antemurale perimeter trapezoidal towers at the corners and square donjon, on which stands the keep. Another side tower, polygonal, connected by a corridor. Frederick II lived here. La Rocca was altered at later dates. An ancient corridor linking it to the nearest Minor Castle, rebuilt by the Visconti. The cylindrical tower was erected by Pope Paul III Farnese in the middle of 1500, when he took possession of the city.

Out of Assisi

Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli was built to hold several small buildings related to the life of the saint, the Porziuncola that the "small part" (the world) 's oratory and the huts of the Friars Minor. Transit in the chapel of St. Francis died on the bare ground.
Sanctuary of San Damiano was arranged by Clare Francis, who entrusted it to as home. Here he composed the Canticle of the Creatures, and Clare died here. Hermitage of the Prisons - Subasio, through the woods, the Saint and his companions retreated in prayer in the caves.
Santuario di Santa Maria di Rivotorto was built in the mid 1800s on the ruins of a church built in 1500 to protect the Hovel of Francis. The nearby stream was named to the church. This Hovel Francis started the monastic life, founding the rule of the Friars Minor.