mail: Bill Thayer |
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The façade of the upper church of S. Francesco. |
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Photo © Alan R. Zeleznikar:
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Umbria and Assisi have seen dozens of relatively strong quakes since the church was built: surviving for centuries, why was it so badly damaged in our own time? Some people lay the blame on a 1950s restoration, in which the elastic wooden beams of the roof were replaced by heavier and less elastic concrete.
Although homes and businesses thruout Umbria and the Marche were destroyed by the quake, as well as many other churches and monuments, an accelerated program was set in motion to restore S. Francesco, which is Italy's first tourist destination outside Rome. Although much of the detailed structural damage has not yet been repaired, and the fragments of Cimabue's frescoes still lie in boxes by the tens of thousands (and despite much talk and work and heartbreak, will probably never be put together again), the essentials have been dealt with and the church is now receiving visitors again.
Of the interior of the Basilica I have no photos of my own, because on my three visits to it, I didn't have the guts to ignore the ban on taking any. So for better pages on S. Francesco (and properly authorized photos!) you'll have to go offsite, starting very likely with the Basilica's own website, linked below.
Images with borders lead to more information.
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Thanks to
Alan Zeleznikar
who let me know of his photo
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A page or image on this site is in the public domain ONLY if its URL has a total of one *asterisk. If the URL has two **asterisks, the item is copyright someone else, and used by permission or fair use. If the URL has none the item is © Bill Thayer. See my copyright page for details and contact information. |
Page updated: 4 Dec 17