Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi is a large 16th-century basilica built to enclose and protect the small early-medieval chapel called the Porziuncola, associated with St Francis of Assisi. The basilica dominates the plain below the town of Assisi and is one of the principal Franciscan pilgrimage sites.

Interiors combine a large nave and aisles with a raised area around the Porziuncola, which is preserved as the focal devotional chapel. Visitors typically see the small Porziuncola chapel, the Cappella del Transito where St Francis died, and painted devotional art and votive offerings concentrated around the older sacred spaces.

The basilica was commissioned and constructed from the late 16th century onward to provide a protective building for the fragile Porziuncola and to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims. The smaller Porziuncola chapel predates the basilica by many centuries and retains its medieval fabric and devotional furnishings.

The basilica stands in the valley at the foot of Monte Subasio just outside the medieval town of Assisi in Umbria. It is a short drive or walk from central Assisi and serves as a visible landmark on the plain below the hilltop town.

• Construction purpose: The basilica was built in the 16th century to enclose and protect the much older Porziuncola chapel, which dates back to the early medieval period.
• Pilgrimage date: Pilgrims often visit on 4 October for the feast of St Francis; the Porziuncola is the principal devotional focus for Franciscan pilgrims.

What to See #

• Porziuncola chapel: The small 9th-century chapel known as the Porziuncola, preserved within the larger basilica and the spiritual heart of the Franciscan movement.
• Cappella del Transito: The cell and small room traditionally identified as the place where St Francis of Assisi died on 3 October 1226, preserved as a devotional space.