Basilica of San Francesco
According to tradition, the Basilica rises where San Francesco had chosen to be buried: near the lower hill of the city of Assisi, an area that in the Middle Ages was known as "Collis Inferni" (Hell’s Hill) because condemned men were usually buried here after public executions. The hill was renamed "Collis Paradisi" (Heaven’s Hill) and the first stone was laid for the construction site of the Basilica. This was started by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, following the santificato of Francesco, only two years after his death.
The building of the Lower Basilica was completed in about two years, while it takes about six years for the upper part. Subsequently, the building was subject to numerous works that over the centuries contributed to determining its current appearance.
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The Earthquake of 1997
On 26 September 1997 the earth trembled violently in the center of Italy, exactly between Umbria and Marche, causing enormous damage. There were two earthquakes that occurred during that day: the first at 02.33, in the middle of the night, which reached magnitude 5.7, while at 11.42 the second quake arrived, much stronger than the previous one. It reached the magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale with hypocenter at a depth of 10 km and its epicenter at Annifo (between Assisi and Colfiorito). Because of this second shock the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi collapsed, after it was damaged by the nocturnal shock.
The collapse caused four victims, two technicians of the Superintendency and two friars, and also caused the collapse of part of the frescoes on the vault of the first span: “San Girolamo”, where the Four doctors of the Church were depicted; the figure of San Matteo, on the vault depicting the Four Evangelists of Cimabue; moreover, the starry vault, repainted in the nineteenth century. On the counter-arch and on the ridge (collapsed those too) eight figures of saints and other decorations are ruined on the ground.
The basilica remained closed until November 29, 1999, for conservation and restoration interventions. Over 300,000 fragments were collected (in very difficult conditions due to the constant aftershocks) at the arch of the saints and the nearby sail of San Girolamo, like the star sail and that of San Matteo. Thanks to the photographs of the frescoes, the restoration of the vault was possible: 60,000 hours, for a total cost of about 37 million euros.
At this link the video of the earthquake, from inside the Upper Basilica
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