Assisi
Assisi is a hill town and comune located in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region in central Italy. You can see exactly where it is located by clicking here
This special town was the birthplace of one of Italy’s patron saints, St. Francis (1181–1226). St Francis founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208 along with St. Clare was the founder of the Poor Sisters.
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When Visiting Assisi
Don’t forget when visiting, take the time to stroll down the small streets. There is a magical feeling about this place. There is a population of about 25,000 people who call Assisi, home. We felt this hill town had a bit of a magical feeling; I wonder if the residents do too?
Both these books beautifully capture the essence of Italy, its people, and the strong sense of community that defines life in small Italian towns. With lyrical prose and reflections, Ilene & Gary invite readers to accompany them on a journey of self-discovery and transformation in the heart of Tuscany.
Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi
The Basilica of St. Francis is a massive, two-level church, consecrated in 1253. Its 13th-century frescoes portraying the life of St. Francis were done by Giotto and Cimabue, among others. The crypt below the bottom church houses the stone sarcophagus of St. Francis.
The first time we were in Assisi, we only spent a few hours as we were on our way to Cortona. In 2017, we took a bus trip and it included a tour guide who gave us valuable information, which we highly recommend.
Earthquake Damage
The Basilica was badly damaged by an earthquake on September 26, 1997, in which part of the vault collapsed, killing four people inside the church. It was two years after this that restoration was completed and the church reopened.
Wow… this place is nice! I just love the views and how perfectly green everything is. It’s sad about the people who were killed in the earthquake, but it gives Assisi more meaning for people.
Thank you Mikki for the comment – much appreciated! Yes, I agree; loss of life is horrible in any situation but particularly in an earthquake.