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Assisi,
in Saint Francis' footsteps
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Natural
beauty, history and mysticism come together in this
important centre of spiritual tourism.
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Around
the 5th and 6th centuries, the presence of natural
caves in some remote parts of Umbria,
http://www.regione.umbria.it/umbria/indefa.htm ,
made them the ideal spiritual retreat for hermits
who came from all over Italy in search of peace,
safety and tranquillity. They dedicated their lives
to prayer, undergoing great physical hardship and
self-denial. Their sacrifices and faith inspired
Saint Francis of Assisi.
 In
this season of Lent we have decided to visit his
birthplace,Assisi,
renowned both for its extraordinary beauty and its
meditative, almost spiritual landscape.
Umbria - a journey through Renaissance art
Looking up at Assisi from the valley you can see
its pink and white stone houses shimmering among
the more familiar landmarks. Further down the road,
the Roman town of Spello is a pleasure to visit.
A quick stop in Foligno, affords, on a clear day,
views of the charming hill town of Trevi where you
can visit Roman ruins as well as Mediaeval and Renaissance
monuments. For more information go to http://www.argoweb.it/umbria/umbria.uk.html
or www.umbria2000.it
, Umbria's tourism portal.
Assisi is one of Umbria's most important tourist
destinations. A world-famous place of pilgrimage,
Assisi boasts a remarkable collection of works of
art. The Basilica,
with its impressive arches, stands out as you approach
the town. The entrance to the Upper Church is by
far the most eye-catching. Set off by the green
in front, the Basilica has a striking façade
with magnificent doorways and a large rose window.
Inside you can view one of the most important sequences
of frescoes in the world: 28 frescoes depicting
the "Life of Saint Francis" which were painted,
it is claimed, by Giotto. Above the sequence there
is another cycle of frescoes depicting "Scenes from
the Old and New Testament" attributed to Pietro
Cavallini, from the Cimabue school of painters.
In the ceiling vaults you can see Cimabue's frescoes
of "The life of Saint Peter" and the "History of
Saint Marco". The church also contains a wooden
choir dating back to the 1500s, a crucifix by Cimabue
and a stained-glass window from the 12th century.
Walking through history
 Leaving
the Basilica, walk along Via San Francesco towards
Piazza del Comune, stopping if you wish at Casa
dei Maestri Comacini (the nearby Vicolo di Sant'Andrea
leads to San Giacomo, an old mediaeval quarter),
the Oratorio dei Pellegrini (featuring frescoes
from the 1400s), Monte Frumentario (13th century)
and Oliviera Fountain (16th century). In the square
you can visit the Tempio di Minerva, a Roman temple
from 1 BC which is now a church; Palazzo del Capitano
del Popolo (13th century) and the adjoining Torre
del Popolo, which was completed in 1305; and Palazzo
dei Priori (14th century),which is now the Town
Hall. Don't miss the Basilica di Santa Chiara, built
in the late 1200s in Italian-Gothic style. The Basilica
features many important paintings from the 12th,
13th and 14th centuries as well as the famous crucifix
which instructed Saint Francis to "rebuild God's
church".
Following Saint Francis
It's worth leaving Assisi for a moment to visit
the imposing Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
Situated in the valley below Mount Subasio the Basilica
played an important part in Franciscan history.
It was built between the 16th and 17th centuries
on the site where Saint
Francis founded his order in 1208.
Saint Clare came here one Palm Sunday to offer her
life to Christ. And Saint Francis died here on 3rd
October 1226 - "naked, on the naked earth". The
Cappella del Transito and the famous Roseto (Rose
Garden) where a rose tree without thorns grew on
the spot where Saint Francis threw himself in order
to avoid temptation. Round up your stay with a visit
to the hill fortress of Rocca Maggiore, a typical
example of mediaeval military architecture, which
offers magnificent views over the valley.
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by
DARIO MORGANTE |
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March
2001
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
