Assisi (äs-sēˈzē) [key], town (1991 pop. 24,626), Umbria,
central Italy. A religious and tourist center, it stands on a
hill in the Apennines with an expansive view of the plains
below. Although well known in Roman times and throughout the
Middle Ages, it owes its modern fame chiefly to St. Francis of
Assisi, who was born there in 1182 and died there in 1226. Above
his tomb is the basilica of St. Francis—two Gothic churches
(both consecrated 1253) decorated with frescoes depicting the
life of the saint and other scenes, executed by Cimabue, Giotto,
Martini, and others. The basilica was severely damaged in a 1997
earthquake but reopened in 1999 after partial restoration. The
Franciscan convent nearby has a valuable library. Other
landmarks in Assisi are the Cathedral of San Rufino (begun
1140), the Church of Santa Chiara (1257–65), and a 14th-century
castle. In the plain below is the imposing late-Renaissance
Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (1569–1679), built around the
little chapel of Porziuncola, where S