Located between Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore and Porta San Francesco in Alatri, San Francesco Church is one of the oldest churches in the city.
San Francesco Church Alatri
Useful informatio
Address: Via San Francesco – 03011 Alatri. Entrance fee: Free.
History and description
The Chiesa di San Francesco, together with its adjoining monastery, was built towards the end of the 13th century by a small group of Franciscan monks. This community had been in Alatri since the beginning of the century.
The church is characterized by an austere exterior and a contrasting, richly decorated interior, which dates from the Baroque era.
The facade has a Gothic appearance. Of particular note here is the rose window, which is a smaller version of the one in the Santa Maria Maggiore Church.
Inside the church you can admire several 15th century frescoes. There are also some canvases painted in the 17th century, including a “Descent from the Cross” painted by members of the Neapolitan school.
A weathered woolen cloth is also preserved in the church. This cloth was part of a cloak donated to the city by St. Francis of Assisi himself in 1222.