The Basilica of San Francesco is a church in Siena. It is best known for the frescoes by the Lorenzetti brothers and for the Sacre Particole, the consecrated wafers kept in a special monstrance.
A brief history of the Basilica of San Francesco in Siena
The basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and 1255 and subsequently enlarged between the 14th and 15th centuries. The various interventions saw the transformation of the original Romanesque building into the Gothic structure we see today. Of the original church, just the facade (although much changed) and the right wall are left. The original left wall was demolished, as soon as the new one was completed. The enlargement of the church was finished in 1475. To match its new width, the height needed to be increased as well, a job that started in 1482.
Until 1460, the part of the city where this church is located was outside the city walls. At the urging of Pope Pius II Piccolomini, whose parents were buried in the basilica, the walls were expanded to include the church in the city center.
As a result of, firstly, the fire of 1655 and, secondly, the purist restoration carried out between 1885 and 1892 by Giuseppe Partini, the interior makes an extremely unadorned impression.
The current neo-Gothic facade dates from 1913.
Paintings that used to adorn the altars that were demolished in the 19th century, have recently been placed back inside the church.
What to see in the San Francesco Basilica
Exterior
The bell tower flanking the facade was constructed in 1763. The gabled facade is the result of a neo-Gothic restoration that took place between 1894 and 1913. During this restoration the 13th century marble decorations were removed, just like the 15th century portal, which was replaced by the current, pointed one. The statues were also added in this period. The 15th century rose window by Francesco di Giorgio Martini was left intact.
Interior
The building consists of a huge single nave, typical of the mendicant orders, covered with trusses and cross-vaulted chapels in the transept. Alternating black and white striped marble slabs cover the interior walls.
Counter-facade
The counter-façade is decorated with the remains of two 14th-century tombs. The two fragmentary frescoes were taken from the Porta Romana and the Porta dei Pispini, respectively. On the left is the “Coronation of the Virgin”, which was started by Il Sassetta in 1447 and completed three years later by Sano di Pietro. The “Nativity of Christ” on the right was the work of Il Sodoma (1531).
Right wall of the nave
At the beginning of the right side of the nave is a lunette with an early 15th century “Visitation”. Three paintings adorn the wall: “Sermon of Saint James” by Giuseppe Nicola Nasini, “Nativity of the Virgin” by Giovan Battista Ramacciotti (1671), and “the “Resurrection of Lazarus” by Alessandro Casolani and Vincenzo Rustici. The 14th century tomb of the Tolomei family is located just before the transept.
Right transept (“Eucaristic Miracle of Siena”)
In a more modern chapel, the so-called “Eucaristic Miracle of Siena” is preserved. This miracle consisted of consecrated wafers stolen from the church in 1730 being found three days later, intact and fresh, in the Santa Maria di Provenzano Church. They are now back in the San Francesco Church and are kept in a precious ostensorium. There are only 223 of the original 351 wafers left, mostly because various attempts have been maded to prove that these were really the original ones. The trompe l’oeil polyptych, “Madonna and Child with Saints”, to the left was frescoed by Lippo di Vanni. (During the summer, the sacre particelle are moved to a chapel in the left transept.)
The marble statue of “San Francesco” against the back wall used to adorn the facade of the church.
Apse chapels
There are four chapels on each side of the main, central chapel, which was designed by Giuseppe Partini. The stained glass windows were added by Leopoldo Maccari in the 19th century. The funerary effigies of Silvio Piccolomini and Vittoria Forteguerri, parents of Pius II, were sculpted by Antonio Federighi.
The first chapel to the right of the main one contains a “Madonna and Child” by Andrea Vanni. Urbano da Cortona sculpted the funeral monument of Cristoforo Felici in the next chapel in 1463. This chapel also contains a Gothic triptych by Arturo Viligiardi. The third one is decorated with a “Mary Magdalene with two Angels” by Giovanni d’Agostino.
In the left transept are two chapels with frescoes painted between 1331 and 1335 by the brothers Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Pietro painted the “Crucifixion” in the first chapel to the left of the main one, known as the Cappella Piccolomini d’Aragona Todeschini. This fresco was originally part of a cycle in the chapter house and the cloister. The “San Ludovico d’Anjou at the Feet of Pope Boniface VIII” and “The Martyrdom of the Franciscan Friars in Ceuta” in the 3rd chapel (Cappella Bandini Piccolomini) were painted by Ambrogio. In the 4th one is a “Madonna and Child” by Jacopo di Mino del Pellicciaio, which was taken from the cloister.
Left wall of the nave
The left side of the nave is decorated with a “Crucifixion” by Girolamo di Benvenuto, plus six recently relocated altarpieces. In order, “Annunciation” by Alessandro and Ilario Casolani, “Madonna and Child with Saints” (Jacopo Zucchi, “Jesus blessing the Virgin and Saints Francis and Andrew” (Pietro Sorri, 1605), “Martyrdom of Saint Martina” (Pietro da Cortona), “Death of Saint Galgano” (unknown artist from the circle of Deifebo Burbarini) and “Sermon of Saint Bernardino”(Dionisio Montorselli).
The original entrance portal to the church is located near the counterfacade.
Curiosities
Both the facade and the interior of the church are adorned with the flags of the various contrade of the city. The basilica itslef is located at the border of the Contrada della Giraffa and the Contrada del Bruco (“caterpillar”).
Other spaces
The cloister and its corridors have been transformed into university buildings.
Useful Information
The address of the Chiesa di San Francesco is Piazza San Francesco, 6 – 53100 Siena. Tel. +39 057749406. Opening hours: 07.30 to 12.15 and 15.30 to 19.00. Entrance fee: Free. Bus: 002, 005, 032, 57/P, 107, 109, 111, 112, 114, 134R, 138, 139, R54/A. (Opening hours maybe subject to change.)
San Francesco Basilica Siena
Sources
- Siena – History and Masterpieces (Piero Torriti, 2000).
- Explanatory information inside the church itself.
- The post about the Basilica di San Francesco on the terredisiena website.
- The Lorenzetti photo is in the public domain.
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