Assisi Walking Tour with Audio and Written Guide by a Local

The Basilica of Santa Chiara was built on the opposite hill to the Basilica of San Francesco. The two basilicas, with facades inspired by the Romanesque model, seem to dialogue through their simplicity. Both have a triangular tympanum and a central rose window that symbolizes a spiritual embrace towards the pilgrims who pass through the streets of Assisi.

The Diocesan Museum and Crypt of San Rufino is located in Assisi, next to the Cathedral of San Rufino, and is a space rich in history and sacred art. The museum is housed in medieval rooms, including decorated rooms and ancient cloisters. Inside, sacred works of art from the cathedral and churches in the area are exhibited.

The Sanctuary is located in the place traditionally identified as the birthplace of Saint Francis. In 1615, the Friars Minor, thanks to the financial support of Philip III, King of Spain, transformed this space into a church, starting community life and liturgical celebrations.

The Rocca di Assisi is a fortified complex formed by two main structures: the Rocca Maggiore and the Rocca Minore, also known as Cassero di Sant’Antonio. Both are made with the typical pink stone of Assisi.

All the main roads leading from the city gates converge in this square. The square was built on an ancient Roman Forum used as a public space and center of political and social activities. In the Middle Ages, the main public buildings arose, such as the Temple of Minerva, the first seat of the Municipality of Assisi, the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo and the Torre del Popolo.

Built at the end of the 13th century, the palace was designed as the seat of the Capitano del Popolo, a figure who represented the power of the Municipality of Assisi. The Capitano was responsible for maintaining order and administering justice, a central role in the medieval politics of the city.

The archaeological area of the Roman Forum of the ancient city of Asisium is located under the current Piazza del Comune and was discovered thanks to excavations conducted by a French architect in the first half of the 19th century. Today, it is possible to visit it by accessing the crypt of the former Church of San Niccolò, located in Via Portica.

This place was built in 1457 by order of the brotherhood of Sant’Antonio Abate and San Giacomo, it was created to allow pilgrims hosted in the nearby hospital to participate in religious functions. The interior has a square plan, with a cross vault and frescoed walls.

When Saint Francis died in 1226, it was immediately decided to build a basilica in his honor to contain his relics. Thus, on July 15, 1228, Pope Gregory IX, a friend of Saint Francis, proclaimed him a saint and, on the same day, laid the first stone of the basilica, which would be built on a hill near Assisi, towards the north. Let's discover this amazing building!