Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Palermo

A beautiful Roman-Gothic church, built in the 13th century and remodelled in the 14th, dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, in the heart of the Kalsa district. It is one of the first manifestations of Renaissance art in Palermo.

Historical elements and exterior

First built in 1235, the church of Saint Francis of Assisi was destroyed in 1239 by Frederick II in retaliation for his excommunication by the pope.
A new church was built between 1255 and 1277, and the elegant facade in the late Romanesque style was completed at the beginning of the 14th century under the patronage of the Chiaramonte, with its triple-crowned portal, the three windows that were decorated with paintings and the triangular pediment. The rose window was replaced during a major restoration in the 19th century that followed an earthquake. A difficult reconstruction was later carried out after the bombings of the Second World War.

Interior and works of art

Interior of the basilica

The interior is vast and preserves numerous masterpieces, in its naves and its deep chapels built later, from the middle of the 14th century in the Chiaramonte Gothic style.
Other chapels in the Renaissance style were built in the 15th century, the most beautiful of which is the Mastrantonio Chapel, built by Francesco Laurana and marks the beginning of Renaissance art in Palermo.
Among the works of art present, one can admire those created by Domenico Gagini with the superb funerary monument to Nicolo Antonio.
In the 17th century, it was enriched with stuccoes and precious frescoes, especially the Baroque chapel of the Immaculate Conception, with its polychrome marbles and eight statues of saints.
The church was adorned with stuccoes in the 18th century, including the allegorical female figures of Giacomo Serpotta.

Photo gallery

Where the church of San Francesco in Palermo is located

Information

Sources and external sites

• Tourist portals: www.palermoviva.it, turismo.comune.palermo.it
• Wikipedia page: fr.wikipedia.org