A Visit to Assisi, the Home of Saint Francis, Assisi, Italy

I first visited Assisi when I was 16 and absolutely fell in love with it. Even though rain was pouring down hard, I found the town so charming and loved the sweeping views it had over the Umbrian countryside. So when I returned to Italy as an adult, Assisi made my list of places to return. Not only did I get perfect weather, I had a lot more time to explore and appreciate its extensive history.

Assisi dates back to the times of the Romans when it was probably called "Assisium." Its history is tumulus with invasions from and battles with the Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards, Carolingians, and Perugians - and I'm probably missing a few. When St Francis died in 1226, Assisi already started its association with the saint and the Franciscan Order. The city physically split in the 14th century between the Guelphs (supports of the Pope) and Ghibellines (supporters of the Holy Roman Empire). It continued to be attacked and occupied by groups such as the Perugians and even Nazis. So it's miraculously indeed that today it has so many ancient and priceless structures and is one of the biggest historically important towns of Italy. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a pilgrimage site. Assisi is also home to several saints, the most notable of them being St Francis - one of Italy's patron saints. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).