Assisi is no doubt the most renowned Umbrian town in the world. It is considered the cradle of mediaeval art and famous because it is where Saint Francis was born and lived.

It was founded by the Umbrians and reached its splendor during the Roman times. You can still admire the signs of that period, monuments such as the Temple of Minerva, the Amphitheatre and the Forum. After a dark period in the 9th century Assisi bloomed again as a free commune. Churches, monasteries and sumptuous houses were built and thanks to the Benedictine monks the marshy plain was reclaimed. Saint Francis was born in this thriving framework. To celebrate him a Basilica was built. In this Basilica the most famous artists of time worked: Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini and Lorenzetti, whose paintings can still be admired today. On the top of the hill where the town is located, a mighty fortress was built as a guard post by Federico II. Its aim was to defend the town from many wars against near by Perugia. Assisi was annexed to the Spoleto Dukedom by the Emperor and is today an uncontaminated place as well as a symbol of peace for all of humanity.