Italy's Best Kept Secrets - Assisi

Title:
Italy's Best Kept Secrets - Assisi

Description:
Nestled between the hills of Tuscany, Marche and Lazio, Umbria regards itself as the green heart of Italy. Home to the beautiful medieval towns of Perugia and Assisi, the rolling mountains of the Appennini, flower-filled meadows and vineyards, and castles on the hillside, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. The town of Assisi, with its Roman ruins, winding medieval streets and sacred shrines, has been a major Catholic pilgrimage destination for centuries. Perched halfway up Mount Subasio, the visual impact of Assisi's shimmering white and pink marble buildings is magnificent. The city is dominated by the massive 14th-century Rocca Maggiore - a hill fortress offering fabulous views over the valley and nearby Perugia. St Francis was born here in 1182 and work began on his basilica two years after his death in 1228, as a fitting tribute to the patron saint of animals. The stunning Basilica di San Francesco, a UNESCO world heritage site, comprising of two churches, houses one of the world's most impressive collections of art outside a gallery, with glittering frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and Martini. St. Francis himself lies buried under the crypt. Roman foundations are a common feature of many buildings in Assisi. The town's many churches include Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro, St. Clare and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. San Pietro is a sober little church downhill from the Basilica di San Francesco. Although consecrated in 1253, the simple rectangular facade with its three large spoked windows wasn't finished until 1268. The church interior is spare, of interest mainly for its strange pre-Gothic pointed ceiling vaults and the odd dome, a concentric cone of bricks in the Arab-Norman style. At the time of my visit, a simple wedding took place here.

Author:
emeritamanansala

Tags:
Assisi, Italy, Umbria, Perugia, Basilica, di, SanFrancesco, St, Francis, San, Pietro, travel, log,