San Francesco is a Roman Catholic church and monastery located in Sarzana, region of Liguria, Italy. Sarzana-chiesa san francesco3

History

Tradition holds that St Francis himself founded this church in an oak forest outside of the medieval city walls. The church is near a site where

St Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a Mysticism, mystic Italian Catholic Church, Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most vener ...

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St Dominic Saint Dominic ( es, Santo Domingo; 8 August 1170 – 6 August 1221), also known as Dominic de Guzmán (), was a Castilians, Castilian Catholic priest, Mysticism, mystic, the founder of the Dominican Order and is the patron saint of astronomers ...

. At one time the site was called the ''German Cemetery'' (Cimiterio Germanico), because of the mercenary soldiers buried there. Documents note foundation of a monastery by 1238. The monastery construction began during the 13th century. The façade was only partially finished, and only the first story sheathed in marble. The portal has a lunette with a 17th-century fresco depicting the ''Virgin and Child with St Francis and St Louis of Toulouse''. The facade has relief with St Bernardino da Siena's

Christogram A Christogram ( la, Monogramma Christi) is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ, traditionally used as a Christian symbolism, religious symbol within the Christian Church. One of the oldes ...

: a sun and letters IHS, here framed by a rope. This recalls the adherence of the local monks to frati Minori Osservanti in 1462. The interiors were refurbished in the 17th century. Among the altarpieces in the church is an ''Adoration of the Shepherds'' (first altar on right) by

Domenico Fiasella Domenico Fiasella (12 August 1589 – 19 October 1669) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, mainly active in Genoa. He was nicknamed ''Il Sarzana'', after his birthplace. Biography He was born in c, the son of Giovanni Fiasella, a silver ...

. In the right transept is the funeral monument of cardinal Bernabò Malaspina (died 1338). In the chapel in the left of the presbytery is an ''Assumption of the Virgin'' (17th-century) attributed to

Giulio Bruno Giulio () is an Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: * Giulio Alberoni (1664–1752), Italian cardinal and statesman * Giulio Alenio (1582–1649), Italian Jesuit missionary and scholar * Giulio Alfieri (1924–2002), Italian ...

. On the transept wall is also the tender funeral monument, sculpted by

Giovanni di Balduccio Giovanni di Balduccio (c. 1290 – after 1339) was an Italian sculptor of the Medieval period. Life The artist was born in Pisa, and likely did not train directly with the famous Pisan sculptor Andrea Pisano. He travelled to Milan to help sc ...

, and dedicated to Guarnerio degli Antelminelli who died as a child, the son of the fierce condottiere

Castruccio Castracani Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli (; 1281 – 3 September 1328) was an Italian ''condottiero'' and duke of Lucca. Biography Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he w ...

. On the door of the sacristy is a fresco by Priamo della Quercia, brother of Jacopo della Quercia; the fresco depicts a ''Vir dolorum between St Clair and St Francis''. In the sacristy is a painting depicting the ''Madonna con Bambino, Bernardino da Siena and San Salvatore da Orta'' by

. On the counterfacade of the church is a large canvas depicting the ''Adoration of the Magi'' (1656) by

Tommaso Clerici Tommaso is an Italian given name. It has also been used as a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name A * Tommaso Acquaviva d'Aragona (1600–1672), Roman Catholic prelate * Tommaso Aldrovandini (1653–1736), Italian painter of ...

. The cloister was frescoed with episodes in the ''Life of St Francis'' (15th-century) by

Stefano Lemmi Stefano Lemmi (Active 17th-century) was born near Silano in the Lunigiana and was a pupil or follower of Guido Reni in Bologna, but painted mainly in the areas near Carrara. He painted for the Castello Malaspina, castello Malaspina in Fosdinovo. H ...

.Derived from “I percorsi d'arte più belli e più segreti della Val di Magra e della Terra di Luni”
by R. Ghelfi e C. Sanguineti - Edito da Agorà Edizioni e LAB Laboratorio d'Arte Contemporanea Lunigiana, cited in comune of Sarzana website.

References

{{coord missing, Italy Roman Catholic churches in Sarzana 13th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Franciscan monasteries in Italy Monasteries in Liguria