Assisi

About

This scenic village has seen its share of saints. In 1208, St. Francis founded his eponymous order here, and St. Clare, and Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows were also born here. Originally a Roman settlement, remnants of their empire are still visible, such as the city walls, the forum, which has been transformed into the Piazza del Comune, and the Temple of Minerva, which has maintained its original facade, even though was transformed into the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in 1539. The massive complex that can be seen from miles away is the Sanctuary of Assisi. One of the oldest Gothic churches left in Italy, and the final resting place of St. Francis, its interior rivals many museums, with frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti.