The Basilica di San Francesco is a

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

-style,

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located on the

Piazza del Popolo Piazza del Popolo is a large Town Square, urban square in Rome. The name in modern Italian language, Italian literally means "People's Square", but historically it derives from the Populus, poplars (''populus'' in Latin language, Latin, ''pioppo ...

in the town of

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; ; ) is a (municipality) and capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche. Geography The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto, River Tronto and the small Castellano (river), River Castell ...

in the region of

Marche Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...

, Italy.

History

Construction of the structure began in 1258, and the church was consecrated in 1371. The church has a Latin cross layout with three naves, divided by hexagonal pilasters. The tall hexagonal bell-tower near the apse was completed in the 15th century, and the copper-sheathed cupola (1548) and ribbed ceilings were not completed until the 16th century. The main facade is in a narrow alley, and has three portals, each with a peaked tympanum and thin elaborate pilasters. The central portal is decorated with highly sculpted

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and rusty varieties. It is formed by a process ...

marble with a detached column with lions atop capitals, showing persisting Romanesque influences. The top of the tympanum has a sculpture of a lamb, a symbol of the guild of wool merchants, who patronized construction. The east flank of the church encompasses the five arches of the ''Loggia dei Mercanti'' (1513), designed by Bernardino da Carona. The west flank of the church abuts the ''Chiostro Maggiore''. SanFrancescoAP-GiulioII

Along the right flank of the church, facing the Piazza del Popolo, is a lateral entrance surmounted by a monument to

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...

(1506–10). The entrance has a rounded arch flanked by receding sets of corded pilasters. The lunette above the door has a fresco. The monument above the pedestal has a statue of the seated pope in the act of blessing, inside a rounded niche, flanked by statues of holy figures each in their niche. The plaque below translates to: ''Julius II Pontifex Maximus, restored liberty and expelled the Tyrants. The people of Ascoli erected statues in the year of our savior 1510'' This monument honors the pope for imprisoning the

Ghibelline The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centu ...

tyrant, Astolto Guiderocchi, who had taken control of the city in 1504. A few meters to the north of the portal of Julius, on the outer wall of the right transept, is an aedicule built against the church. It consists of a portal like structure with an iron grill protecting a venerated image of the ''Madonna adoring her Son''. A protruding rounded tympanum with an angel and a garland are sustained by two Corinthian columns. The aedicule has three rounded steps in front. Tradition attributes the design (1639) to Lazzaro Morelli, a pupil of Bernini, but others attribute it to Silvio Giosafatti. The 17th-century travertine pulpit was completed by Antonio Giosafatti. The presbytery has three apses. The ogival windows frame stained glass windows. The sacristy contains and altarpiece depicting the ''Jesus and the Apostles'' by

Cola dell'Amatrice Nicola Filotesio (9 September 1480 iffering sources give 1489��31 August 1547 ources also give 1559 was an Italian painter, architect and sculptor of the Renaissance period, active primarily in or near the town of Ascoli Piceno (modern capital ...

. It also contains paintings by Biagio Miniera, and

Nicola Monti Nicola Monti (21 November 1920 – 1 March 1993) was an Italian opera singer, one of the leading tenori di grazia of the 1950s. Born in Milan, Italy, Monti studied voice from an early age, and made his debut in concert in Florence in 1941, a ...

(depicting the ''Blessed Beato Corrado''). The adjacent building, the former Franciscan monastery has two cloisters. The larger cloister, ''Chiostro Maggiore'' also called the ''Piazza della Verdura'' houses a daily food market.Turismo Marche, entry on church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francesco Ascoli Gothic architecture in le Marche Roman Catholic churches in Ascoli Piceno Basilica churches in the Marche 13th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Buildings and structures completed in 1371 Churches completed in the 1370s Church buildings with domes