Beautiful place. The frescoes are stunning, you can feel the spirituality every where. There are two basilicas, one on top of each other. read more

This awe-inspiring basilica is a must-see when in Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, one of Italy's patron saints. The massive compound of this Basilica consists a 2-level church, the Lower Basilica, the Upper Basilica and picturesque grounds. The lower one is long and deep with frescos depicting ting the life of St. Francis; a narrow staircase takes you down to the crypt, where the remains of St. Francis are kept inside a stone sarcophagus. Visitors are required to remain silent so the experience is quiet and divine. The upper basilica is lofty with natural light; its walls are beautifully decorated. Again you'll find panels depicting the life of Christ and St Francis. Brochures in many languages provide good history of the establishment and St Francis's belief (peace and brotherhood), his dedication, and the history of the Franciscan Friars. Parents with young children may want to lead them to discover the fresco that depicts St. Francis preaching to the birds. On your way down the hills you'll see expansive views of the valley down below. As you go near the bottom, don't forget to look back up at this magnificent basilica on top of the hill, and maybe you'll feel the powerful influence of St. Francis's over the centuries. read more

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The bathroom was not too dissimilar from ones you'd find in Protestant Midwest American small town churches. It was actually kind of charming now that I think about it. 6/10. I feel REALLY bad for starting this review with a bathroom review, but I have to commit to the bit. Now onto the meat and potatoes. I toured Italy with my college choir last May and we were in several basilicas over the course of twelve days, including St. Peter in the Vatican. However, even compared to ALL of the cathedrals and basilicas we sung in or even set foot in, this is still my favorite. This was the most colorful one we were in. The frescoes were so vibrant for being up to 800 years old. We had the honor of hearing a local adult choir sing before we did and they put us to shame, in no small part to the heavenly and divine acoustics of this gorgeous basilica. I am not Catholic, but this was a religious experience for me. Even if you're not religious, I recommend going here if only to marvel at this cathedral's stunning architecture and artwork. 10/10 read more

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This a patron saint St Francisco bury here. It was explained to me if a saint is bury in a church is call Basilica. If not is call cathedral. This church is big. It is located on the mountain top. But St. Francisco most likely service at the church below at Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi. The Basilica is beautiful. It is almost like a castle. The compound is big. This Basilica is at Assisi between Rome and Venice. To get there is easy. But you may want to spend a night at nearby hotel. The cathedral has two stories. The bottom like a chapel and the top like cathedral. The wall full of St. Francisco life becomes saint. The famous one is the one he preaches to the bird. Some said that he can communicate with the animals. The Basilica has multi wall painting. We love the scenery. It is a bit challenging for those who has wheel chair. It is not wheel chair accessible. read more

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The Basilica of St. Francis still draws pilgrims from all over to the historical town of Assisi. But the Basilica, an historical, art, and archaeological treasure, is not just for the religious. Staying in Assisi, we walked to the Basilica and spent several hours absorbing all it had to offer. Ironically, those coming for a purely spiritual experience may be disappointed, as the legions of tour groups make contemplation difficult. We found the several levels of the Basilica confusing -It's like two churches in one. We were trying to match the guidebook descriptions of frescoes to what we were seeing on the walls and not having much luck-until we figured out we were on the Lower Basilica level and the frescoes described were on the Upper Basilica! We didn't see much in the way of explanatory signage (stairs to the Upper Basilica were in a corner near the altar that we only stumbled upon), so bring something to help you get around. Fortunately, we finally found the frescoes because they are amazing! (Alas no photos are permitted inside.) The outside of the Basilica and Piazza are beautiful; we enjoyed meandering around there. Unfortunately, our guidebook never mentioned the Bosco (Woods) so we missed that entirely. If you are looking for a Saint Francis souvenir, not to worry, the souvenir shop has images of St. Francis at every price level imaginable, all the way into the thousands of dollars! Looking around at the bustling souvenir business I had to wonder what St. Francis himself - who gave up wealth for a life of poverty - would think of this. One final note: there are no bathrooms inside the Basilica! They are outside, off the piazza (be prepared for lines). read more

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"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." - St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). I'm not religious. Still, I find St. Francis' humility and his compassion for the poor and the sick immensely inspiring. While traveling in Italy, I thought I'd stop by this small town in which Assisi himself was born; and the Basilica di San Francesco. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Unlike some gaudy and ostentatious structures, the beauty of the basilica is within itself. Check out the paintings, the woodwork and the archways. All are simple and yet exquisite in an archaic way. This place is a worthwhile addition to your travels. I learned that this church had a secret hideout during WWII. According to the guide, there was a German soldier who had discovered the going-ons but chose to keep quiet and in turn helped save the lives of those hiding within the walls of the church. Lots of history here. read more

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The basilica is a beautiful architectural, historical & religious landmark. The artwork inside is amazing. There is more than one level to this basilica with only stairs (as far as I know) to reach the other levels. I love St. Francis for his affinity for animals & his belief that love & peace is important for all beings. We came to visit Assisi on the Greenline Tour. When we arrived in Assisi a local guide took us on a walking tour of the town. There are many twisting streets & almost every building seems to have some kind of art on the front depicting St. Francis. At the basilica itself the souvenir shop is on an upper level. They have medallions, coins, snow globes, books, bags, soap, chocolate & many other souvenirs. I bought some medallions for friends, family & also myself. I feel as if I didn't get enough time to spend here. Someday I would love to come back & spend more time getting to know the town of Assisi. read more

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From its detailed dome to an art collection including Goya Madrid's Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande is a sight to behold. Built from 1776 to 1784 and declared a National Monument in 1980 the Church stands out amongst the Latin Quarter with multiple floors and chapels each surrounding the grave of St. Francis of Assisi. read more

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Talk about strange coincidences. I showed up, without even knowing it, on Oct.3rd, St. Francis' Feast Day and the anniversary of his death, that's just the way my travel schedule unfolded. So I knew in advance that Assissi is an extremely popular town for Roman day-trippers, but I had no idea of the amount of pilgrims which would be here the day I came. Luckily, it was the last day of a week of festivities so things were dying down and by the early evening, the day trippers and pilgrims were gone and the town and by extension the Basilica were pleasantly emptied out allowing me to practically have some parts of the Basilica almost to myself. St. Francis's tomb is in the Lower Basilica (along with his 4 companions) and given that St. Francis is the patron saint of Italy and the founder of the Franciscan Order (along with being the patron saint of animal lovers, environmentalists) there are pilgrims here all the time. This is considered to be a holy place for the devout so please act accordingly. If you just come to the Basilica to pay your respects to St. Francis, there's a lot you're missing out on. The artwork of the Lower Basilica is considered to be a masterpiece of the late Medieval age and is full of spiritual symbolism and codes if you know what to look for. Personally I found the Lower Basilica to be far more interesting that the Upper Basilica. Also, on the lawn in front of the basilica, runs a wall and the entrance to the Way of St. Francis, the Bosco di San Francesco, a lovely reclaimed forest, full of wooded trails, an old mill, a river, random sculptures, olive groves and plenty of places to meditate and take in the beauty of the Umbrian countryside. If you love walking in nature, it's not to be missed. read more

Located deep in the heart of Umbria, up on top of a hill, behind a grand wall is Assisi. And within Assisi is the great Basilica di San Francesco, a grand, gorgeous structure with some of the most spectacular interior architecture and mosaic tile work I've ever seen...and I took an 11 day tour across Italy. There's a lower basilica with terrace and an upper basilica with great green lawn and all of it was just stunning. Make sure this one is on your itinerary! read more

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The story of this place, as well as its beauty, brought me to tears. So magnificent! If you can visit around Christmas-time, please do it!!! The nativity scenes and lights that come out make it even more enchanting. read more

Basilica di San Francesco - Churches Near Me - Assisi, PG

Basilica di San Francesco is a beautiful museum dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. St . Francis was designated Patron saint of Italy. He later became associated with patronage of animals and nature. I have always found his story so interesting, because I am obsessed with animals. The layout of the Upper Basilica is an exact reflection of the original plan of the Lower Basilica. The ceiling is cross-vaulted, and a gallery runs along the entire perimeter. The art on these walls are phenomenal. There are tons of stairs and not areas are wheelchair accessible. In the Upper Basilica, there is a stairway leads downwards to the crypt containing the remains of St Francis. You cannot see the body, but you can make donation and receive a prayer card. You can also light a candle. Guided tours are offered and you can get a headset that gives details about the facility in many language options. One does not have to be of Catholic faith to enjoy the architecture, art, and stories associated with this church. This is a must see on your visit to Italy. read more

Basilica di San Francesco - Churches Near Me - Assisi, PG

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As we walked through the city of Assisi, the bells called us to mass at the Basilica di San Francesco. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had. It was memorable to hear the mass in Italian, but it was also inspiring to let my soul embrace the beautiful art that surrounded us. From the main stained glass rose window to the sculptured cornices, beauty was everywhere you looked. Each sight was stunning and remarkable. If you get a guide, they'll tell you about the earthquake in 1997, but they're doing great restoration on the damage. After mass we walked down the hill to have lunch at a restaurant - can't remember the name - but there were red poppies along the path. There's nothing like walking around Assisi and hearing those bells. It's well worth the visit if you're in Umbria -- and a fan of St. Francis. It's an amazing cathedral with lots of history, and the town has some gorgeous views. read more

st francis of assisi .. well by this time in our tour we had seen so much are and some many grand Cathedrals .. it was overwhelming to this girl from a small farm town in Ohio. I wish they would have allowed photography inside ... it was lovely. But of course they want you to buy the books. the little town was so cute and quaint and the view of the countryside was amazing. This was just a little stop on our tour but so worth the time. read more

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I am not a super religious person, so I was surprised that the Basilica of Saint Francis was one of my favorite places on my Spain, France, & Italy tour. It is the second most visited hutch in Italy. The basilica is located on top of a hill and there are beautiful views all around it. We had a tour guide and during our visit, we learned about the frescos and history of the church. And they are incredible to admire and such a wonder on how those works where done during those times! We weren't allowed to take photos or video, but the beauty inside the basilica is forever painted on my mind. Take some time to walk through the upper and lower basilicas, sit in the seats, and imagine being there with Saint Francis. read more

In the film Religulous, Bill Maher carries an extended conversation with Reginald Foster, an American Catholic priest and friar of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (It's called Wikipedia, folks). When Mahar asked Foster about the bizarre tendency of Catholics in a monotheistic religion to pray to an entity other than their actually god, Foster responded by citing a survey done in Italy where it was revealed that the sixth individual Italians pray to was none other than Jesus Christ, the heart of the faith. Jesus was sixth, leading Foster to comment, "Talk about cafeteria Catholics." There was no greater example of this dichotomy than Assisi, a Christian commune in Italy with papal stores where one could purchase actual vestments. Despite the many crosses mixed with oddly displaced Roman relics, it all appears to take second fiddle the great St Frances of Assisi. How great is he? He occupies fully half of the walls of the dominant Basilica. The other half was for the seemingly equally important central figure of the faith. The church was packed full of tourists led by different guides. Ours was a shockingly curt lady that castigated photographers when she wasn't insulting both Germany and France in her tour of the Basilica (apparently, you can judge an entire country on the attitude of the monks from said country). Every time someone tried to take a photo from within the basilica, she would shout ,"NO PHOTO!" repeating the ridiculous argument about preserving the paintings against the damage from camera flashes. Funny thing, during the tour, we all spotted a brilliant green laser pointer held by a monk at the church leading his own tour. I'm fairly certain a laser is more damaging that a camera flash, just saying. It's not like you could take a good photo anyway. It's incredibly dark inside. And I found the possible photos outside, both at the lower and upper grounds, much more satisfying. At night, Assisi all but clears out, offering Zen-like moments in near empty walkways around the church. Beyond this, the Basilica is actually a beautiful place. Its dominant position does secure its place atop the reasons to visit Assisi, though not the only one. Visiting the Basilica di San Francesco is certainly a must, though don't come for the day expecting to only take in this one attraction. Assisi in its entirety is an amazing commune, with amazing shops; there's even a castle--though oddly ignored by the tour guides. If you think the Basilica is the only reason to visit Assisi, you'd be wrong. read more

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The basilica of San Francesco is fitting. It is straightforward and fitting, but it is a wonderful building. It is austere, but isn't that was St Francis is about? Walk the cobblestone streets of this medieval town also, and enjoy the whole town of Assisi. Perhaps, should my wife and I return to Italy, we will spend an overnight in a place like Assisi. It seems so relaxing and calming. read more