Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

Papal Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi Basilica Sancti Francisci Assisiensis
The Lower and Upper basilicas and the portico, as seen from the Lower Plaza of Saint Francis.
Basic information
Location	Assisi, Italy
Geographic coordinates	43°04′29″N 12°36′20″E / 43.07472°N 12.60556°E / 43.07472; 12.60556Coordinates: 43°04′29″N 12°36′20″E / 43.07472°N 12.60556°E / 43.07472; 12.60556
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Pontifical Delegation for the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi
Country	Italy
Year consecrated	1253
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Papal minor basilica
Heritage designation	2000
Leadership	Attilio Cardinal Nicora (Pontifical Delegate)·
Website	www.sanfrancescoassisi.org
Architectural description
Architect(s)	Maestro Jacopo Tedesco
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Romanesque, Italian Gothic
Groundbreaking	1228
Specifications
Direction of façade	ESE
Length	80 metres (260 ft)
Width	50 metres (160 ft)
Width (nave)	18 metres (59 ft)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii, iv, vi
Designated	2000 (24th session)
Reference no.	990
State Party	Italy
Region	Europe and North America

The Papal Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Francesco, Latin: Basilica Sancti Francisci Assisiensis) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Assisi, a town of Umbria region in central Italy, where Saint Francis was born and died. The basilica is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy. With its accompanying friary, Sacro Convento, the basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

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. The interior of the Upper Church is an important 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, and include works by Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and possibly Pietro Cavallini. The range and quality of the works gives the basilica a unique importance in demonstrating the development of Italian art of this period.