Church of St. Clare is the first church from the gate Porta Nuova at the eastern edge of the town. It's a beautiful church with stripes of white and pink limestone. It's characteristic of Assisi.
Underground tomb of St. Clare. There are conserved her handmade clothes and her hair on display. There were shoes of St. Francis as well.
You can see several images of St. Clare in a fresco or a picture board in the church.
The square in front of the church is an ideal place to overlook the beautiful landscape of Assisi.
Clare was born in an aristocratic family of Assisi in 1194. She is considered one of the first followers of St. Francis and loved and enshrined very well as an important saint. However, it was just an accident that Clare and Francis met. When she was 16 years old, she saw St. Francis preaching in a street of Assisi and got moved by his sincere words.
Two years later, Clare's parents decided to marry off his daughter to a son of a wealthy family. Clare was disappointed and ran away from home. Then she visited St. Francis and asked him to accept her as a devotee.
St. Clare followed the faith of St. Francis "Poverty, Chastity and Obedience" and started to live as a nun at St. Damian church, where St. Francis had heard the voice of God. Her new life consisted of daily prayers and labors and she passed very simple and plain days.
In fact, at the basement of the church of St. Clare you can also see some clothes made by St. Clare and other nuns. Those humble clothes show us their simple life.
Later, St. Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies and accepted many nuns. Her mother Ortolana also entered in her daughter's convent.
St. Francis aided St. Clare's convent with great love, and St. Clare continued to respect him as a spiritual father all her life. It's said that when St. Francis was suffering for his illness, she was devoted to take care of him until his death.
St. Clare is known for her loyalty to St. Francis and sometimes called "Another St. Francis".
After she passed away in 1253, the construction of a church dedicated to St. Clare was started immediately. The local white and rose-colored limestone was used a lot. It's a very simple church with a beautiful rose window and one entrance in the center.
In front of the church, there is a fountain in the square. From that square you can overlook the town of Assisi. Please enjoy the beautiful church and beautiful view of Assisi.
In Italy, not only each town but also each profession has its patron saint. At the time of Pope Pius XII in 1958, the St. Clare was defined as "the patron saint of television". This is based on a miracle legend of St. Clare who was watching a scene of the Mass on the wall of her room, when she was ill. It's interesting, isn't it?
| Name | St. Clare of Assisi (Basilica di Santa Chiara) |
| Location | east of the old town. 1-minute walk from the gate Porta Nuova. |
| Opening Hours | Summer: 6:30-12:00, 14:00-19:00 Winter: 6:30-12:00, 14:00-18:00 |
| Phone number | +39 0758-12282 |
| Map |
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Church of St. Clare is located at the other side of the town from St. Francis Church so you would have to walk a little. But please don't miss it. A deeply sacred atmosphere surrounds the underground tomb. The view from the square is an essential photo spot to explore Assisi.