Assisi

(This entry has been sitting on my computer, half-finished, for almost two years, so I finally decided to complete it.)

As part of our trip to Italy in November 2022, Corinne and I made a brief trip to Assisi. It is just southeast of Perugia, where we stayed with Corinne's nephew and niece-in-law for Thanksgiving. 

Assisi is religiously significant and is a UNESCO heritage site. Its Sister Cities include other pilgrimage towns, such as Bethlehem and Santiago de Compostela, as well as a city in California that is named after Assisi's most famous resident.

Assisi is like so many other villages in central Italy's Umbria region: founded in ancient times, nestled atop a hillside, full of medieval buildings and picturesque cobblestone streets. Here's a view of the town overlooked by the Rocca Maggiore fortress. 

Another Assisi street scene, featuring a small restaurant. Timelessly charming spaces like these can found in almost any medieval Italian hilltop town.

This is Assisi Cathedral, where Francis worshipped. The church was begun in 1140 and completed by 1253. It is an example of Romanesque architecture.

At the door of Assisi Cathedral is a sculpture of a lion eating a Christian martyr: a not-so-subtle reminder of the struggle of the young Christian church within the pagan Roman Empire.

The interior of Assisi Cathedral, with a statue of St. Francis on the left. Born into a wealthy family, Francis swore off that lifestyle in his twenties and embraced a life of poverty and penance. He founded the Franciscan religious order in 1210 and today is one of the most venerated figures in Christianity.

Another Assisi street scene. I could never get tired of walking these quaint, centuries-old cobblestone streets.

One of Francis's first followers was Claire, who founded a Franciscan religious order for nuns. She was canonized in 1255; construction of the Basilica of St. Claire began two years later. The flying buttresses to the left were added in the 1300s. St. Claire's remains are in the church's crypt.

Assisi overlooks the countryside of Umbria. When we visited in late November it was misty but not particularly cold.

The Piazza del Comune, which is Assisi's central square. The Temple of Minerva on the right was built by the Romans in the 1st century BC; it now houses a church. The adjacent bell tower was built in the 13th century. 

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, which was begun in 1228, the same year Francis was canonized as a saint. Christian pilgrims come to this church to pay respect to Francis, whose remains are located within the church. 

Another view of the Basilica, which features both Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements.

On our way to the Basilica we stopped at a cafe to use the restroom and get a refreshment. A nun came in, spoke to us in English, and upon discovering we were from the United States offered us a blessing: a charming memory of Assisi we'll always have.

Corinne and I downloaded and listened to a Rick Steves audiotour of Assisi as we walked through the town, which we found very helpful. For more Rick Steves commentary on Assisi, check out this video (beginning at the 13:48 mark).