HISTORY OF ASSISI:
The area of today's Assisi was settled around the year 1000 BC by the Umbrians, and their settlements were later taken over by the Etruscans. In the 2nd century BC, the Romans arrived in the area, and built the town of Asisium on Monte Subasio. Read More [...]
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Assisi was occupied in 545 by the Goths of king Totila, and later by the Byzantines and by the Lombards.
In 1182, in Assisi, Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was born, who later became Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francesco d'Assisi). He was canonized in 1228, only two years after his death, by Pope Gregory IX. Saint Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscan religious order and was proclaimed in 1939 by Pope Pius XII as the Patron Saint of Italy, along with Saint Catherine of Siena.
In the 13th century, under papal jurisdiction, Assisi began to expand, and continued to develop in the following centuries. After the discovery of the bodies of Saint Francis in 1818 and Saint Clare (Santa Chiara) in 1850, the town became a privileged destination for pilgrimages.
In 1860, after a unanimous plebiscite, Assisi joined the newly created Kingdom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY OF ASSISI:
Today, Assisi is a town of about 28,000 inhabitants in the Province of Perugia, in the Italian region of Umbria. The town is located on the northwestern side of Mount Subasio, in a raised position, overlooking the northern Umbrian Valley that lies below. Read More [...]
Assisi is located about 22 kilometers southeast of Perugia, 45 kilometers north of Spoleto, 90 kilometers northeast of Orvieto, 180 kilometers north of Rome, 190 kilometers southeast of Florence, 250 kilometers southeast of Bologna, 380 kilometers northwest of Naples, 390 kilometers south of Venice, and 460 kilometers southeast of Milan.
TRANSPORT TO ASSISI:
The closest airport is the Umbria International Airport San Francesco d'Assisi, located about 12 kilometers to the west. From the airport, you can take the bus Line E007 to Assisi. A ticket costs 3.00€ and the trip takes about half an hour. Read More [...]
You can get to Assisi by train, from Perugia, to the west, or from Foligno, to the south. A train ticket from Perugia costs 3.00€ and the trip takes about 20 minutes. From Spoleto, a ticket is 4.70€ and the trip takes about 40 minutes.
The Assisi railway station is located about 2.5 kilometers away from the historical center of the town, and to get from the station to the city you can take the bus Line C for a 6 minutes trip. The bus ticket costs 1.30€ at the ticket office or 1.50€ on board.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ASSISI:
In 2000, the city of Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco, the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and other Franciscan sites located in the municipal area were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Read More [...]
EVENTS IN ASSISI:
The most important event in Assisi is Calendimaggio, a festival held each year in the first Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday after the 1st of May, to greet the arrival of spring. On this occasion, the town is divided in two parts, which challenge each other for the conquest of the Palio. Read More [...]
Another interesting tradition of the town is Palio di San Rufino, a historical reenactment event held every year on the last Sunday of August and the previous three days. Palio di San Rufino is practically a crossbow shooting competition between the three historical districts of Assisi: San Francesco, San Rufino and Santa Maria.