Casa natale di San Francesco (Birthplace of St. Francis), Assisi

This is believed to be the original site where the future Saint Francis of Assisi was born on July 5, 1182. Legend has it that his birthplace was once a stable, housing oxen and donkeys, where his mother sought refuge to give birth. The inscription above the pointed arch entry attests to this history, with the property being transformed into an oratory and first documented in 1286.

The façade is dominated by a Romanesque arch, with a Gothic entry portal. Stepping inside this place of worship, especially after visiting the larger churches bustling with tourists, one immediately notices the humble, minimalist interior: simple benches along the walls and traces of 13th-14th century frescoes above the raised altar.

Outside, in a charming, intimate square, stands a modern bronze sculpture depicting Francesco's parents: his father, Pietro di Bernardone dei Moriconi, and his French mother, Pica de Bourlemont. Overlooking the square is the imposing 17th-century Chiesa Nuova (New Church) with a grand Renaissance-style façade. This church was erected in 1615 on the presumed site of Saint Francis's paternal home.

Inside the church, near the first pillar on the left, visitors can see the room where Francesco's father, a prosperous silk merchant, allegedly chained his young rebellious son in an attempt to dissuade him from a life of penitence and devotion to the poor, hoping to steer him back to the family trade. Ultimately, Francesco was released by his mother, who understood her son's calling to higher values.