Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
1 Porta S. Francesco Assisi
Grand Basilica Hosting the Body of St. Francis of Assisi
The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Assisi. It is a papal minor basilica and 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.
The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a hill comprising of two superimposed churches, an Upper Church and a Lower Church, along with a crypt where the remains of St. Francis are interred.