Assisi Religious Buildings Walking Tour

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Assisi Religious Buildings Walking Tour Assisi is a great sacred destination, being the birthplace of St. Francis, St. Clare (Chiara d'offreducci) and Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. This wonderful city houses a number of striking religious buildings, which date back to the 17th century at the time of Augustus. Take the following tour to visit the most outstanding religious buildings in Assisi! Guide Location: Italy» Assisi # of Attractions: 7 Tour Duration: 1 hour(s) Travel Distance: 1.9 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "GPSmyCity: Walks and Articles with Offline Maps" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Assisi Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Assisi. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi B) Chiesa San Pietro C) Chiesa di S. Stefano D) Chiesa Nuova E) Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Church F) Assisi Cathedral of San Rufino G) Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (must see) The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscan Order in Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. The burial place of St. Francis, the basilica, is one of the most important sites of Christian pilgrimage in Italy. 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. With its accompanying friary, the basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The interior of the Upper Church is important as an 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. Address: Basilica of San Francesco d'assisi, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Georges Jansoone. Sight description based on wikipedia B) Chiesa San Pietro Chiesa San Pietro or St. Peter s Church is situated on San Pietro Piazza. Originally built by the Benedictines in the tenth century, the church was restored in 1954 and presents beautiful Romanesque Gothic style. This striking religious building houses six tombs and fine frescoes of the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries. Address: Chiesa San Pietro, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gunnar Bach Pedersen C) Chiesa di S. Stefano Chiesa di Santo Stefano is another historic religious building of Assisi. It represents a small and simple Romanesque church, built between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Stone walls, small windows, wood ceiling and fine frescoes remind of the long history of this old church. Address: Chiesa di Santo Stefano, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of David Faulks Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - D) Chiesa Nuova 4.Chiesa Nuova The Chiesa Nuova is a church in Assisi, Italy, built in 1615 on the site of the presumed birth place of St. Francis, the house of Pietro di Bernardone. It was then called Chiesa Nuova because it was the last church to be built in Assisi at that time. It was erected because, during a visit to Assisi in 1613, Antonio de Trejo, the Spanish Vicar General of the Franciscans, was saddened when he saw the original home of St. Francis becoming dilapidated. With the help of the Spanish Embassy in Rome and through a generous gift of 6,000 ducats by King Philip III of Spain, he was able to buy the house. Pope Paul V authenticated this purchase on 10 July 1615 and blessed the first stone. This church, built in late Renaissance style, features a high dome divided in coffers, with lantern and a drum. Such a caisson ceiling is a feature of Renaissance architecture. It built in the form of a Greek cross, with nave and transepts of the same length, inspired by the Roman Church SantEligio degli Orefici. The church is decorated with frescoes by Cesare Sermei and Giacomo Giorgetti (17th century). The high altar was set over the room of St. Francis. One can also visit the shop where Francis sold his cloth and the stairwell in which Francis was imprisoned by his father. This is the place where Francis decided to answer the divine call and to renunciate worldly goods. "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Piazza Chiesa Nuova, 7, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Gunnar Bach Pedersen. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - E) Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Church (must see) Santa Maria sopra Minerva Church represents a gorgeous Parish church dedicated to St. Mary. This magnificent church contains parts of the originally built Roman shrine, which originate from the time of Augustus, as well as six impressive Corinthian columns and the striking Roman façade. Address: Piazza del Comune, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Georges Jansoone F) Assisi Cathedral of San Rufino (must see) Assisi Cathedral, dedicated to San Rufino is a major church in Assisi, that has been important in the history of the Franciscan order. In this church Saint Francis of Assisi (1182), Saint Clare (1193) and many of their original disciples were baptised. It was on hearing Francis preaching in this church in 1209 that Clare became deeply touched by his message and realized her calling. Tommaso da Celano related that once Saint Francis was witnessed praying in this church while, at the same time, he was seen jumping on a chariot of fire in the Porziuncola. This stately church in Umbrian Romanesque style was the third church built on the same site to contain the remains of bishop Rufinus of Assisi, martyred in the 3rd century. The construction was started in 1140 to the designs by Giovanni da Gubbio, as attested by the wall inscription visible inside the apse. In 1228, while he was in Assisi for the canonization of Saint Francis, Pope Gregory IX consecrated the high altar. Pope Innocent IV inaugurated the finished church in 1253. "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Assisi Cathedral of San Rufino, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Georges Jansoone. Sight description based on wikipedia Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - G) Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi (must see) The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi was established between 1257 and 1265 and represents fine Italian Gothic style. Its exterior features pink and white stones, as well as massive supporting arches. Inside the church you will find precious frescoes, dating back to the XIIth to XIVth centuries. Address: Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, Assisi, Italy Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Georges Jansoone Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -