Assisi
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 30 December 2023
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The historic hill town of Assisi is one of the main visitor attractions in the region of Umbria and is situated twenty kilometres south-east of Perugia, the capital city of the region.
Lying in the foothills of the imposing Mount Subasio, Assisi's old stone buildings brighten the landscape for miles around and make for a beguiling sight on the approach to the town. |
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The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi
Assisi was of course the home town of Saint Francis, and it is to him that the town owes much of its present-day popularity along with its most impressive monuments. In terms of religious tourism, Assisi is the third most popular destination for pilgrims in Italy after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Sanctuary of Padre Pio in the town of San Giovanni Rotondo in Puglia. The first sight that Assisi's pilgrims flock to is the magnificent Basilica of Saint Francis.
The 13th century church is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the town itself. Every inch of the Gothic-style interior is decorated with beautiful frescoes painted by such luminaries as Giotto, Cimabue, and Pietro Lorenzetti to name a few, creating an awe-inspiring effect as you enter inside.
Assisi was of course the home town of Saint Francis, and it is to him that the town owes much of its present-day popularity along with its most impressive monuments. In terms of religious tourism, Assisi is the third most popular destination for pilgrims in Italy after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Sanctuary of Padre Pio in the town of San Giovanni Rotondo in Puglia. The first sight that Assisi's pilgrims flock to is the magnificent Basilica of Saint Francis.
The 13th century church is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the town itself. Every inch of the Gothic-style interior is decorated with beautiful frescoes painted by such luminaries as Giotto, Cimabue, and Pietro Lorenzetti to name a few, creating an awe-inspiring effect as you enter inside.
Further sights in Assisi's Centro Storico
Despite being a regular-sized, medieval Italian hill town, the number of religious buildings in Assisi is quite astonishing and apart from the headline-grabbing Basilica di San Francesco, there are numerous other churches that would be the main attraction were they in any other town. Among these are the Basilica di Santa Chiara and the Duomo: Assisi's Cathedral.
At the centre of life in Assisi is the town's main square: Piazza del Comune. The beautiful medieval square is fringed by a number of restaurants and historic palazzi that conceal them therein. However, the most important structure on the Piazza is the facade of the Temple of Minerva with its six giant columns that date back to the 1st century. Behind the facade of the Temple is another church: the Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which was originally built in the 16th century.
Despite being a regular-sized, medieval Italian hill town, the number of religious buildings in Assisi is quite astonishing and apart from the headline-grabbing Basilica di San Francesco, there are numerous other churches that would be the main attraction were they in any other town. Among these are the Basilica di Santa Chiara and the Duomo: Assisi's Cathedral.
At the centre of life in Assisi is the town's main square: Piazza del Comune. The beautiful medieval square is fringed by a number of restaurants and historic palazzi that conceal them therein. However, the most important structure on the Piazza is the facade of the Temple of Minerva with its six giant columns that date back to the 1st century. Behind the facade of the Temple is another church: the Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which was originally built in the 16th century.
The Rocca Maggiore: above Assisi
This central area of the town gets hugely popular as the tourists make their way around Assisi's main sights, and as such, one of the joys of a visit can be found by heading away from the centre and exploring the narrow streets that wind their way up the hill. Standing proud at the hill's summit is the medieval fortress known as the Rocca Maggiore which was built in the 14th century. From this position you can really enjoy the townscape of Assisi away from the at times maddening crowds below.
This central area of the town gets hugely popular as the tourists make their way around Assisi's main sights, and as such, one of the joys of a visit can be found by heading away from the centre and exploring the narrow streets that wind their way up the hill. Standing proud at the hill's summit is the medieval fortress known as the Rocca Maggiore which was built in the 14th century. From this position you can really enjoy the townscape of Assisi away from the at times maddening crowds below.
Close to Assisi
On the way up to Assisi there's a good chance you'll pass a small town with an eye-catching sight and a rather surprising piece of trivia attached to it. The town of Santa Maria degli Angeli can boast the impressive Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, but also lay claim to the origins of the American city of Los Angeles, with the city purported to be named after it by a group of Franciscan missionaries.
The Umbria region is one where history meets some dazzling hillside landscapes. Just a short distance from Assisi is the regional capital of Perugia; a hill town with some magnificent medieval monuments built around the beautiful Piazza IV Novembre. Beyond Perugia is the expansive Lake Trasimeno with its collection of islets that can be visited, while heading south of Assisi you reach the charming hill town of Spello before the larger and more illustrious Spoleto, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Sight as one of the Lombard Places of Power.
On the way up to Assisi there's a good chance you'll pass a small town with an eye-catching sight and a rather surprising piece of trivia attached to it. The town of Santa Maria degli Angeli can boast the impressive Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, but also lay claim to the origins of the American city of Los Angeles, with the city purported to be named after it by a group of Franciscan missionaries.
The Umbria region is one where history meets some dazzling hillside landscapes. Just a short distance from Assisi is the regional capital of Perugia; a hill town with some magnificent medieval monuments built around the beautiful Piazza IV Novembre. Beyond Perugia is the expansive Lake Trasimeno with its collection of islets that can be visited, while heading south of Assisi you reach the charming hill town of Spello before the larger and more illustrious Spoleto, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Sight as one of the Lombard Places of Power.
Comune di Assisi
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Province: Perugia
Region: Umbria Population: 27,880 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Total size: 187 km² Elevation: 424 metres Highlights: Basilica di Saint Francis of Assisi, Temple of Minerva Close by: Santa Maria degli Angeli, Spello, Perugia, Bettona Recommended accommodation: Hotel Il Palazzo |
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
Year: 2000
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
Year: 2000
