Basilica of St Francis

The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi was begun in 1228, shortly after the canonization of Francis; in 1253 Pope Innocent IV consecrated both churches. Two churches stand one above the other here, with the saint's tomb beneath them, rediscovered in 1818 under the floor of the Lower Church. Since 2000 the complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The older Lower Church is deliberately dim; silence is required and photography is forbidden. Look out for Simone Martini's frescoes in the Chapel of St Martin and Pietro Lorenzetti's Passion scenes in the transept. The bright Gothic Upper Church shows 28 scenes from the life of Francis, traditionally attributed to Giotto, though scholars dispute how much of it is his. In the earthquake of September 26, 1997, parts of the vault collapsed and four people died; the church reopened after about two years.

Shoulders and knees should be covered. It is quietest early, and shortly before closing. The old town is a restricted traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside, for example near Porta Nuova. Allow half a day.