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A CYCLING TOUR PASSING THE UNESCO MONUMENTS OF ASSISI (22,3 km)
Assisi stretches out along the slopes of Mount Subasio in the beautiful part of the Valle Umbra situated between
the Tescio, Topino and Chiascio rivers.
Under Roman domination the town was known as Asisium and it became a flourishing municipality. With the fall of
the Roman Empire it was subjected to Barbarian invasions: destroyed by the Goths (545), the Byzantine's then
conquered it, after which it fell into the hands of the Lombard’s. It then became a free commune from the 11 th
century onwards, achieving its greatest period of prosperity in the 13th century. Assisi is the birthplace of two saints
who have influenced both the history of the city and humanity itself: St. Francis (1182) and St. Clare (1193).
Later the city was ruled in turn by the popes, Perugia, the Visconti family of Milan, the Montefeltro family, and
Braccio Fortebraccio, before finally coming under the control of the Sforza dynasty. Modern day Assisi has the
characteristic layout of a medieval town, still encompassed within its town walls. An interesting town for art and
culture, its also a religious hub, attracting pilgrims and tourist from all over the world.
This cycling route will take you past the most important monuments of Assisi and its surroundings with exception of
the hermitage ‘Eremo delle Carceri', which is situated at 830m a.s.l.
Attention: you can’t visit the hermitage, the basilica of St. Francis and the basilica of St. Clare in Assisi wearing
short pants or a sleeveless t-shirt/blouse
In the following text all the cultural descriptions written in italics are taken from the guidebook: Guide to Assisi,
History and Art, Editrice Minerva Assisi
0,0
Leave the car park of Viole (San Vitale) and go left uphill
0,4
After the archway you will leave the village San Vitale (Viole)
3,4
Past along the Agip petrol station and at the roundabout take the first turn uphill.
3,6
After about 100m, in the sharp leftward bend, go left and you pass through the ‘Porta Nuova town
gates entering the old centre of Assisi
3,9
Straight on cycling in the Via Borgo Aretino and after another town gate you come to the Basilica of
Saint Clair.
The square is located on an artificial terrace built in the second half of the 19 th century. At the time of St. Francis,
the area was still outside the city walls and hosted a small church dedicated to St.George to which were connected
Ecologico Tours
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a hospital and a school. In 1257 the Damianite sisters, who lived in the monastery S.Damiano, where St. Clare
died in 1253, obtained the ownership of the little church and began the construction of a basilica in honour of Saint
Clare, canonized in 1255. In 1260 her body was entombed under the main altar of the new choir.
Remarkable are the three flying buttresses outside (1351) to support the vault.
The basilica has a nave divided in four bays and covered with a cross vault, a protruding transept and a polygonal
apse. It has the same T shaped floor plan as the upper church of St. Francis. The wide walls of the nave were
meant to host, for the instruction of the faithful, a detailed legend of St. Clare, of which two episodes remain on the
right transept. The illustrations were covered with a coat of plaster by order of bishop Marco Palmerini. At the back
of the nave is the entrance to the Cappella di S.Giorgio. Behind the glass partition is the Crucifix (12 th century),
which according to the tradition, addressed St. Francis in the Chiesa di S.Damiano: ‘Do you not see that my house
is falling into ruin? Go, then, and repair it for me.’ Across the nave are steps to the Crypt, and the tomb of St. Clare.
4
At the fork keep right uphill passing through another gate onto Via Mazzini.
4,2
After about 200m. You arrive at the main square Piazza del Comune
The piazza del Comune is situated at the heart of the town. Its axis is parallel to the mountain, and it is located at
the intersection of the main roads leading to the city gates.
The piazza del commune is unique due to the presence of the temple of Minerva, a good example of Roman
architecture. According to tradition the temple was dedicated to Minerva but there are those who favour a
dedication to Castor and Pollux due to the alleged existence of an early cult connected with curative waters. The
monument dates from the 1st century BC. During the Middle Ages, the building was assigned to the monks of the
abbey of S.Benedetto al Monte Subasio, who made it into a church dedicated to San Donato. In 1212 it was used
as residential quarters for the magistrates and as a prison. From 1456 the temple resumed its ancient religious
function, and in 1539 it was dedicated to Santa Maria della Minerva. The six-columned façade has Corinthian
columns with an attic base and high plinths. The pediment was marked with bronze decorations. The interior was
lengthened in 1634 by Giacomo Giorgetti, and is covered now by a barrel vault. Giorgetti also designed the
baroque altar frame.
The Torre del Popolo stands on the left of the temple. It was the first residence of the Capitano del Popolo (a
magistrate) and dates from the mid 13th century. From the beginning of the 16th century to 1707 it was the seat of
the Notaries guild. The tower is a building with a quadrangular floor plan, 47m. high, divided into three registers by
string-course cornices and crowned by swallow tailed battlements uncovered in 1896. On the arch keystone are
the insignia of the Guild with its emblems: books, ink-pot and pen. A tablet on the base of the tower illustrates the
measures used in Assisi in the 14th century with roof tiles, floor tiles and bricks; the measures for wool, linen and
silk fabric; the ‘piede’ (foot) and the ‘formone’ for wood. It was placed there in 1349.
Ecologico Tours
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Connected to the tower is the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. It was completed in 1282. The palace was
almost completely destroyed when Assisi was sacked by Niccolò Piccinino (1442). It was restored in the 16 th
century, when it became a public school. The building is made of the white stone of Mount Subasio. It has three
storeys and four large portals. At one time it hosted salt shops and warehouses.
The southern side of the square is almost entirely occupied by the Palazzo Comunale. It consists of four units
joined together in different periods between the 13th and 15th century. They are connected by two archways, the
Arco dei Priori (Priors’ Arch) and the so-called Volta Pinta (painted vault). This place gave access to the city
brothel, for which records exist dating from the 14th century. In 1453 it was decided, for the sake of decency, to
close the back wall. Afterwards the area was used as an exchange floor for grains. The vault is decorated with
figures in the grotesque manner painted in 1556 by one Raphael Pictor. The external appearance of the palazzo
comunale is typical of the local building style of the late Middle Ages. The Tourism Promotion Office is on the
ground floor.
4,3
At the end of the square take the most right road uphill, Via S. Paolo
4,9
You come to the Porta S.Giacomo town gates. In front of it go left onto Via C.M.Del Val
5,1
Descending you come to the Basilica of Saint Francis.
The construction of the basilica di San Francesco was started two years (1228) after the death of St. Francis.
First the lower church, but shortly after the monks decided to built the second, upper, church. The construction
proceeded rapidly and by 1230 the body of St. Francis was brought to the tomb under the main altar of the lower
church. The construction of the basilica was brought to completion within a period of 20 years. In 1253 pope
Innocent IV permitted the use of donations left by pilgrims for the decoration of both churches. From the terrace
before the upper church is a magnificent view of the valley.
The Upper Church is entered directly from the lawn in front of it. There could be no greater contrast than that
existing between the lively polychrome of the slender Gothic forms of the interior of the nave and the severity of the
gable façade, constructed in white stone without any hint of colour.
The interior has a nave, divided in four bays, with transept and polygonal apse. The upper church represents the
prototype of monastic Franciscan churches, designed to resemble a covered piazza and used for the liturgy and
sermons without the hindrance of lateral aisles. The interior of the church has been completely covered by a bright
polychrome. The frescoes, which cover the walls, are inspired by a unifying theme centred in the exaltation of St.
Francis according to the eschatological interpretation proposed by St Bonaventure.
A highlight of the frescoes is of course the narrative cycle with 28 stories from the life of St. Francis made by the
Florentine painter Giotto and his pupils. It is the official illustration of the saint’s life and miracles, desired by the
moderates of the Order with the approval of the Roman Curia, for the spreading of the Franciscan message. The
frescoes were begun in the last decade of the 13th century.
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Between the Upper and Lower church you will find the museum with the Perkins Collection, which once belonged
to the American art historian Frederick Mason Perkins. It is composed by a sculpture and 56 paintings by Italian
primitive masters.
The lower church has a floor plan in the shape of a Tau, or Egyptian cross, which was a symbol dear to Francis.
The original plan called for a nave, without aisles, divided into four bays and covered by a cross vault. With square
sectioned ribs in a strongly Romanesque style. At the end of the 13 th century the chapels within the walls of the
nave were opened. Halfway into the nave are two ramps descending into the crypt. Behind the altar is the stone
urn in which the body of the saint was originally placed.
Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and many other artists worked here. The beautiful stained glass
windows date from the 13th and 14th centuries.
5,1
Left onto the Via San Francesco
0,5
After the archway you cycle along Via Fortini
5,7
Before the road starts to climb you turn right, Via Giotto. Watch out you cycle a section against the
one-way traffic
5,8
You arrive at the small square Piazzetta Garibaldi where you turn left onto Via Cristofani.
6
At the square Piazza del Vescovado you continue straight on onto Via S.Agnese .
6,3
You come again to the square Piazza S.Chiara
6,4
Straight on and you pass through the first town gate cycling along Via B.Aretino. WATCH OUT you
cycle a stretch against the one-way traffic
6,7
Just after the Porta Nuova town gates you go right and immediately left onto Via F.S.Robinson. Get
off your bike to take some steps.
6,9
At the fork keep left and you cycle along a high wall (on your left-hand side) and leaving the car park,
at the main road, you go right.
7
After 100m, before another car park (on you right-hand side) you turn right and you pass under the
7,1
main road
Just after the underpass in a leftward turn you go right/straight on in the direction of San Damiano
onto Via S.Damiano.
To visit S.Damiano go straight on at the small round square with benches. After your visit return to this point
The San Damiano complex is an ancient Benedictine priorate documented from 1030. Early in the 12 th century it
was given to the church of San Rufino. It is in this church that the conversion of St. Francis took place and were he
lived for a period to restore the old church.
Ecologico Tours
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The church has a simple gabled façade, built with irregular stones. Under the arcade, on the right, are votive
figures of SS. Clare, Francis, Sebastian and Rocco (1510), attributed to Francesco Tartaglia. On the right of the
arcade is the entrance to the cappella di S. Girolamo. In the lunette at the far end is a Madonna with Child and SS.
Bernardino, Jerome, Francis, Clare and a nun in adoration, painted by Tiberio d’Assisi. On the left wall by the
same painter, SS. Rocco and Sebastian. The interior of the church has one nave and is covered by a vault. Above
the arch is a modern replica of the miraculous Crucifix which spoke to St. Francis and which is now kept in S.
Chiara. Ascending along a narrow stairway, you come to the Oratorio di Santa Chiara. Halfway through there is a
small terrace, called the giardinetto. According to tradition it is on this spot that St. Francis wrote his Canticle of the
Creatures.
Climbing up three steps you enter the dormitorio (dormitory of the poor Clare’s). On the left wall a cross indicates
the spot where St. Clare died in 1253. On the back wall is a wooden crucifix (17 th century). According to tradition, in
September 1240 St. Clare stood in a nearby doorway holding a monstrance and thereby put to flight the Saracen
troops of Emperor Frederick II, who were about to attack the city.
Attached to the church is a pleasant cloister from the 16th century. On one side of the cloister is the refettorio
(refectory). A flower vase and a cross indicate the seat of St. Clare.
7,4
You come to a small round square where you turn left onto Via Sorella Acqua.
7,7
The paved road becomes asphalted and curves leftward.
8
At the T-crossing with a effigy go right downhill.
8,1
After about 100m go right further downhill: Via Frate Sole.
8,4
At the crossing go left
8,5
After about 100m, at the next crossing (here you see a big cypress and an effigy), go right.
9,3
After a speed hump continue straight on.
10
Just after holiday farm ‘agriturismo Il Mandorlo’ go left onto Via Goethe op.
11
At the next crossing go right.
11,1
At the T-junction turn left onto Via Giosuè Borsi
11,4
At the roundabout take the 3rd exit (you go left) cycling towards the Lyrick theater
11,9
At the next junction (strange roundabout) go right and immediately take the side walk on your righthand side.
12,2
Remain at the side walk and pass under the railway line.
12,3
At the roundabout go right.
Ecologico Tours
Via Cesare Agostini 30
06034 Foligno
Tel. 0742 950024
E-mail: [email protected]
WWW: www.ecologicotours.it
P.I. 02417390545
12,7
At the next roundabout take the first turn right.
12,8
After 100m, when the wall of the Basilica and monastery begins, go left onto via Capitolo delle Stuoie
13,3
You pass the entrance of a car park and at the stop sign you turn to the right.
13,5
At the roundabout go right. To avoid the busy traffic you can go on the side-walk or cross the garden in
front of the Basilica.
13,7
You arrive at the entrance of the Franciscan Basilica van Santa Maria degli Angeli.
The magnificent, immense building was designed by Galeazzo Alessi. Works started in 1569 and the basilica is
completed in 1679. In 1832 an earthquake considerable damaged it, but rebuilding started almost immediately.
The huge dome and the huge golden statue of the Virgin dominate the exterior. The solemn and majestic interior
has a nave and two aisles and contains many chapels. Under the dome is the Porziuncola, a charming Franciscan
oratory, in which S. Francis and his companions would gather. In this spot St. Clare decided to take her vows of
poverty and follow the footsteps of S.Francis (1211). On the altar in the interior you can admire a large polyptych
by Ilaria da Viterbo (14th century). St.Francis died in the nearby Cappella del Transito (Chapel of the Passing away
of the Saint); here are the frescoes by Spagna (16th century) and an enamelled terracotta statue of S. Francis by
Andrea della Robbia. Other features of the Basilica include the Chapel of the Rose with frescoes by Tiberio
d’Assisi, the Miraculous Rose Garden and the museum.
13,9
At the end of the basilica go right onto via Protomartiri Francescani.
14,2
At the stop straight on
14,4
At the roundabout take the 2nd exit straight on. You are still cycling along Via Protomartiri Francescani.
14,7
At the next roundabout straight on in the direction of Cannara.
15
You pass alongside the cemetery.
15,4
The road makes a rightward curve and you pass through the railway underpass.
15,8
After 400m at the crossing go left onto Via Bottoneto
16,2
At the fork keep left and you cycle between some houses. WATCH OUT don't go onto VIA TOMBETTA
16,8
After 600m at the junction (on your right-hand side a house along the road) go left onto Via Carpinelli.
17,1
The road curves to the right and you're cycling along a dirt road parallel to the railway.
17,6
At the crossing with an asphalted road go straight on, still cycling parallel to the railway.
18,2
The road becomes asphalted and make a rightward bend: DON'T go straight on towards the tiny
19,4
church !
At the junction go left passing under the railway line .
Ecologico Tours
Via Cesare Agostini 30
06034 Foligno
Tel. 0742 950024
E-mail: [email protected]
WWW: www.ecologicotours.it
P.I. 02417390545
19,2
When the road makes a rightward curve you go straight on onto Via Ottone IV in.(Here is the
entrance of auto dealer BaTa Auto. You are at a dead end road, but in front of you is an underpass,
19,3
which brings you to the other side of the high way.
After the underpass go straight on. You cycle along Via S.M.della Spina and you enter the village of
19,6
20,1
Rivotorto.
At the stop go left onto viale Sacro Tugurio.
You pass the church of Rivotorto.
This church was built to protect the Tugurio, the place where once St.Francis lived with his companions. He wrote
here the Rule for the Franciscan Order
20,2
After 100m, after the community sign 'end of Rivotorto' you go right joining the Via Della Regola.
21
At the stop go right and you pass at the left-side of a small church and are cycling onto, via
21,5
Passaggio Vecchio.
At the junction near the community sign ”Rivotorto” you go left
21,8
The road makes a rightward bend and climbs for about 400m.
22,2
At the T-junction go right.
22,3
After circa 100m at the intersection you continue straight on joining via Di Mezzo.
23
At the next crossing go left uphill cycling along the Via Assisana.
24,7
After about 1,5 km you will find on your left-hand side the car park where you left this morning.