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About Assisi
A religious and tourist center of Italy since medieval times, the town of Assisi stands high upon a hill overlooking the Umbrian plains 90 miles north of Rome. Legends surrounding the original founding of the town are extensive and varied, one of which tells that the town was created around a holy spring that was worshipped by the Etruscans and Romans alike. In 239 AD, Bishop Rufino, who was martyred at Costano and laid to rest in the Cathedral Church of his namesake, converted the people of Assisi to Christianity. In the 12th century, after years of being subject to the dukes of Spoleto, Assisi became an independent commune, frequently engaging in skirmishes with nearby Perugia and the Papal States. It was not until 1860 that the village became part of the Italian Kingdom.
Today, many travelers embark on pilgrimages to Assisi from around the world. The town owes its modern fame to St. Clare (b. 1194, Assisi), the founder of the of the Poor Clares, and to St. Francis (b.1182), the gentle, nature-loving saint who founded the Franciscan order and became, along with St. Catherine of Siena, the patron saint of Italy. Above the tomb of St. Francis stands two gothic churches depicting scenes from the saint’s life painted by Cimabue, Giotto, and Martini. Other landmarks in Assisi include the Cathedral of San Rufino (1140), the Church of Santa Chiara (1257), and a massive castle called Rocca Maggiore (1367), constructed in order to intimidate the people of the town. In 2000, UNESCO collectively designated the major monuments and urban fabric of Assisi as a World Heritage Site.