Assisi: St. Francis Basilica Smartphone Audio Guide

Join us on a discovery of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most important churches in all of Italy with our digital guided tour. The discovery begins in the historic hilltop town of Assisi in central Italy’s Umbria region.

Not only is the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi a place of spiritual importance to the Catholic faith, but it is also culturally important to the country as a whole. After all, Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy, pedestalled for his work in founding the Franciscan church, a branch of the Catholic faith under his own set of teachings and disciplines named the Rule of Saint Francis.

Start the tour with an insight into the blush-pink building complex’s exemplary Romanesque architecture, and a closer look at its main features like the stunning rose window. From the courtyard, steps, and friary, we explore the Upper and Lower Basilica, hunting for St. Francis’ hidden crypt. Along the way, stop to appreciate the brilliance of the basilica’s interior which is decorated head to toe with bright frescoes and murals.

Upon entering the Upper Basilica, get ready to be breathtaken as its high-vaulted narrow nave makes you feel impossibly small. Once you’ve adjusted, take a closer look at the frescoes that line each side of the nave which display the Giotto cycle of frescoes about the life of St. Francis. As you reach the transcept, apse, and alter, your appreciation for the detail and intricacy of the church’s vaults will only become greater.

Meanwhile, the Lower Basilica, built partially underground, will impress you with its unusually low tunnel-shaped vaults that make it feel like a secret spiritual cave. In this basilica, we introduce you to the nave’s collection of chapels and their frescoes dedicated to important biblical figures. Most impressive of all is the basilica’s transcept which is decorated in paintings by Giotto that depict the virtues of the rule of glory of St. Francis.

During the tour through the majestic basilica complex, we learn more about St. Francis’ life and his impact on religion in medieval Europe, as well as the history of the basilica itself. From the day its foundation stone was laid to the day of its partial destruction by a devastating earthquake, the building has so many stories to tell.

Having completed the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi guided tour, you will feel like you have a brand new understanding of a transformative stage in Italy’s religious history as well as an unparalleled appreciation for Italian Romanesque beauty.