papal basilica francis assisi lower church

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PAPAL BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS IN ASSISI â LOWER CHURCH Royalty Free Stock Photo

Historic fountain near 13th century Lower Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Arcaded Lower Plaza of Saint Francis in front of Lower Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Lower and Upper Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, as seen from Via San Francesco street, Assisi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Lower Plaza of St. Francis in Assissi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi, Perugia Royalty Free Stock Photo

Lower and Upper Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

PAPAL BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS IN ASSISI â LOWER CHURCH

Lower Plaza of St. Francis, Assissi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Lower Basilica di San Francesco in Assissi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Details of portal of entrance gate to Lower Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Italy Royalty Free Stock Photo

Famous Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Basilica Papale Royalty Free Stock Photo

The lower church was started under the supervision of friar Elia in July 1228.The works were due to be completed in 1230 with the transfer of the body of the saint laid in a sarcophagus under the high altar, where it is currently preserved in a small crypt. The most famous artists of the time, from Giotto to Cimabue and Simone Martini, worked on the decorations of the basilica.The lower church was intended as a sepulchral church, as also highlighted by the presence of the crypt. It still has an almost Romanesque appearance: no elevation, large crossings, ribs with a square cross-section, low and large pilasters to support the heavy weight of the upper church. However, the transition of the Gothic period is clearly shown by the large gap between the ribs and the webs, which further highlights the framework compared to Romanesque art.Papal Basilica of St. Francis in AssisiThe Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi is the place that, since 1230, has retained and preserved the mortal remains of the seraphic saint. Requested by Pope Gregory IX as a specialis ecclesia (Latin for 'special church', it was bestowed by the Pope himself with the title of Caput et Mater of the Minorite Order and at the same time given to the friars themselves for perpetuity.In the complex history that punctuated the evolution of the Order, the basilica (and annexed Sacro Convento) has always been looked after by the so-called 'Friars of the Community', the group that would then form the Order of the Friars Minor Conventual.In 1754, Benedict XIV promoted it to Patriarchal Basilica (now 'Papal') and papal Chapel. In 2000, together with the other local Franciscan sites, the basilica became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.According to tradition, Francis himself indicated the place where he wanted to be buried. This is the lower hill of the town, where the 'outlaws', the convicts were usually buried (maybe this is also why it was called 'Collis inferni'). That hill, donated by Simone di Pucciarello, was renamed 'Collis paradisi' and this is where the new basilica was erected, on the north-west side of the walled town.The basilica consists of two churches, one on top of the other, and connected by two different building stages: the first one associated with Umbrian Romanesque art from Lombardy, while the second has a French origin. In both bases, the decorations inside are extraordinary.