Thursday, Day 6, found us in Assisi, the home of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order of Catholic monks and priests. St. Francis is one of the most popular and enduring saints in history. So popular, in fact, he is the patron saint of Italy. The Franciscan order is founded on poverty, chastity, and devotion to a life of prayer. The town of Assisi is a major pilgrimage site for visits by Catholics from all over the world.
Assisi is situated on a hillside and is a small town of 3000 permanent residents. The winding streets, many churches, and tower fortress provide scenes from a storybook or a Ken Follett novel. Every step is a workout due to the steep angle of the hillside. The houses, hotels, and business buildings are uniquely crafted and made all of stone.
Probably the most fun thing we did was to explore the Rocca Maggiore castle at the very top of the hill. It was originally built in 1189 and rebuilt in 1367 and housed a baron and a cardinal or two. It is open to the public and we were able to climb the two towers and explore the tunnels inside the battlements.
Above you can see a picture of the beautiful scene from Assisi. The six of us are pictured at the top of the tower on Rocca Maggiore. The four kids are sticking their heads out of the windows of our hotel apartment - a great place called the Hotel Ancajani (Not bad at 200 Euros/night for 3BR apartment). Finally a picture of the St. Francis Basilica and a monk on a hilly street in Assisi.
Assisi is situated on a hillside and is a small town of 3000 permanent residents. The winding streets, many churches, and tower fortress provide scenes from a storybook or a Ken Follett novel. Every step is a workout due to the steep angle of the hillside. The houses, hotels, and business buildings are uniquely crafted and made all of stone.
Probably the most fun thing we did was to explore the Rocca Maggiore castle at the very top of the hill. It was originally built in 1189 and rebuilt in 1367 and housed a baron and a cardinal or two. It is open to the public and we were able to climb the two towers and explore the tunnels inside the battlements.
Above you can see a picture of the beautiful scene from Assisi. The six of us are pictured at the top of the tower on Rocca Maggiore. The four kids are sticking their heads out of the windows of our hotel apartment - a great place called the Hotel Ancajani (Not bad at 200 Euros/night for 3BR apartment). Finally a picture of the St. Francis Basilica and a monk on a hilly street in Assisi.
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