The guide of Assisi by the pilgrim, the tourist, the traveller

Upper Basilica

The construction of the Lower Basilica of Assisi is a direct consequence of the influence on the Order had by the succession of some new general Fathers of French origins to Friar Elia, in 1239.

The new Upper Basilica has been built in Gothic style, on the Romanic style of the Lower Basilica.

With the building of the Upper Basilica, the construction of the Basilica has been completed on the whole:

The Lower Basilica has became a monumental crypt, reserved for pilgrims and for the veneration of the relics of the Saint;

The Upper Basilica has been reserved for the official meetings and it can host also the Pope, toWhom a special throne is reserved.

The Basilic of Saint Francis was inaugurated in 1253 by Pope Innocenzo IV.

The Lower and the Upper Basilicas are joint by a stair which is in the left transept.

Some fresco-decorations followed to the architectural building: first some of Cimabue (1277) in the left transept (Frescoes from 27 to 32); then some of Giotto (1269), who started his big painting series of "Stories of Saint Francis", composed of 28 works of art (Frescoes from 3 to 16 and from 33 to 46).

Others frescoes added to these: those painted on the transept and on the right aisle, which represent the cycle of the New and the Old Testament (Frescoes 1 and 2 , and from 17 to 26) done by several master craftmen of that time.

The frescoes painted on the vaults of the aisles and on those of the transept completed this monumental work of art.

The earthquake of 26th Sempember damaged seriously the Upper Basilica, particularly near to the transept.

Besides the frescoes of the transept, the earthquake damaged also the exterior tympanum of the transept.

Here there are the titles of all the frescoes of the Upper Basilica, divided aisle by aisle.

The second numeration in Tables reflects that of the windows which tell the "Stories of Saint Francis", according to the classic version of Saint Bonaventura.