World Heritage Identification Number: 990
World Heritage since: 2000
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco, and Other Franciscan Sites: A Cultural and Spiritual Journey through Umbria
Assisi, a picturesque hilltop town nestled in the heart of Umbria, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers visitors a unique blend of cultural, historical, and spiritual experiences. The town's designation as a World Heritage Site is primarily due to its close association with Saint Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order, and the numerous architectural and artistic treasures that bear witness to his legacy.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Assisi, a medieval city built on a hill, is the birthplace of Saint Francis, closely associated with the work of the Franciscan Order. Its medieval art masterpieces, such as the Basilica of San Francesco and paintings by Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Giotto, have made Assisi a fundamental reference point for the development of Italian and European art and architecture.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): Assisi represents an ensemble of masterpieces of human creative genius, such as the Basilica of San Francesco, which have made it a fundamental reference for art history in Europe and in the world.
Criterion (ii): The interchange of artistic and spiritual message of the Franciscan Order has significantly contributed to developments in art and architecture in the world.
Criterion (iii): Assisi represents a unique example of continuity of a city-sanctuary within its environmental setting from its Umbrian-Roman and medieval origins to the present, represented in the cultural landscape, the religious ensembles, systems of communication, and traditional land-use.
Criterion (iv): The Basilica of San Francesco is an outstanding example of a type of architectural ensemble that has significantly influenced the development of art and architecture.
Criterion (vi): Being the birthplace of the Franciscan Order, Assisi has from the Middle Ages been closely associated with the cult and diffusion of the Franciscan movement in the world, focusing on the universal message of peace and tolerance even to other religions or beliefs.
Encyclopedia Record: Assisi
Assisi is a town and comune of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio.Additional Site Details
Area: 14,563.25 hectares
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 43.06616667 , 12.62244444
Image
Gunnar Bach Pedersen, Public domain
