Foro Romano

Assisi


In among the churches and medieval streets you can still find a few traces of Assisi's Roman past. Extending beneath Piazza del Commune are the remains of the town's ancient forum, discovered during archaeological digs in the 19th century. Above ground, the piazza is dominated by the columned facade of the 1st-century BC Tempio di Minerva, now hiding a rather uninspiring 16th-century church.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Assisi attractions

1. Tempio di Minerva

0.03 MILES

Lording it over Piazza del Commune is the imposing form of the Roman Tempio di Minerva. In fact, little remains of the original 1st-century BC structure…

2. Chiesa Nuova

0.07 MILES

Just southeast of Piazza del Comune, this baroque domed church is a peaceful place for contemplation. It was built by King Philip III of Spain in 1615…

3. Rocca Maggiore

0.14 MILES

Looming over Assisi is the 14th-century Rocca Maggiore, an oft-expanded, pillaged and rebuilt fortress that commands inspiring 360-degree views of Perugia…

4. Cattedrale di San Rufino

0.18 MILES

This 13th-century Romanesque church, remodelled by Galeazzo Alessi in the 16th century, contains the font where St Francis and St Clare were baptised. The…

5. Basilica di Santa Chiara

0.22 MILES

Built in a 13th-century Romanesque style, with muscular flying buttresses and a striking pink-and-white striped facade, this church is dedicated to St…

6. Basilica Inferiore

0.47 MILES

The lower and earlier of the two churches comprising the Basilica di San Francesco, this basilica was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, just two…

7. Basilica di San Francesco

0.48 MILES

Visible for miles around, the Basilica di San Francesco is the crowning glory of Assisi's Unesco-listed historic centre. The 13th-century complex is…

8. Tomb of St Francis

0.49 MILES

Hidden for almost 600 years, St Francis' tomb was discovered beneath the Basilica di San Francesco in 1818 following a 52-day dig, and painstakingly…