Let’s continue with Day 3. Just some FYI I didn’t mention before. It looks like the Basilica is about 2 to 3 miles Northeast of where we are staying. Looking at the maps of Assisi on google is really difficult because European towns and their streets are more compact and the streets are smaller. But click on the satellite view and you will be surprised what you can see. St. Francis Basilica is clearly scene out on the edge of Assisi. We looked in depth at the lower basilica of St. Francis. The upper Basilica is are next stop. This same website on Giotto gives you a good run through of the frescos that run along the walls. Just so everybody understands what these are, a fresco is the art or technique of painting on a moist, plaster surface with colors ground up in water or a limewater mixture. Here is a web-site that gives some instructions on making a fresco. Their instruction is based on a 9x12 inch fresco. Imagine working on the walls of a church.

http://www.sewanee.edu/chem/Chem&Art/Detail_Pages/Laboratory/Pigments&Binders/Fresco/Fresco_Prep.html

Here is another layout and it links to the different frescos.

http://www.thais.it/speciali/assisi/Giotto/mappa_giotto.html

There are 25-28 (depending on the web-site you look at) frescos depicting the life of St. Francis along the walls.

http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/giotto/index.html

Here is a BBC story on the earthquakes that happened in Assisi in 1997. It seems there was a lot of damage done to the frescos in the upper Basilica and 4-5 people were killed from falling rubble.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/26/newsid_2538000/2538651.stm

The tomb of St. Francis was found in 1818 and a crypt was built. This is where Mass will be held.

http://www.franciscanfriarstor.com/stfrancis/stf_tomb_of_st_francis.htm

Best I can tell the Basilica of St. Clare, also seen as Santa Chiara, is on the Southwest tip of Assisi. One thing I found very interesting is that St. Clare was the first couch potato. Though she wasn’t on a couch or watching TV or lazy. When she was ill, she was able to watch the Mass on the wall of her bedroom. Therefore, she has been made the patron Saint of Television.

http://www.assisionline.com/assisi__167.html

The Basilica also contains the crucifix which spoke to St. Francis and told him to rebuild His Church.

Finally found a map that lays out most of what we will see.

http://www.umbria.org/assisi/foto/cassisi.jpg

Here is a link to San Damiano which is where St. Francis heard the crucifix speak.

http://www.assisionline.com/assisi_sanct_damian.html

I can’t find a whole lot on the Bishop’s Palace or the Schifi’s House.