Basilica of San Francesco, Minor basilica in Siena, Italy
The Basilica of San Francesco in Siena is a church featuring a single nave covered by a wooden ceiling and organized according to an Egyptian Cross plan with a central chapel at its heart. Its Gothic windows allow light to filter into the interior space.
This place began as a small church in the 13th century and expanded between 1326 and 1475 to reach its current form, with 1326 marking the start of major reconstruction work. The 19th century brought additional changes to the structure.
The interior walls display alternating black and white marble slabs, while numerous district flags hang from the nave, reflecting Siena's contrade tradition. These visual elements create a strong connection to the city's neighborhood identities and local pride.
The basilica receives visitors on most days and maintains regular worship times, so it is helpful to keep these schedules in mind before visiting. Those seeking to walk around and explore the spaces in peace should plan to come outside of service times.
The church houses an unusual collection of 351 consecrated communion wafers from 1730 that were originally stolen and hidden in a collection box, where they remained untouched for centuries. This extraordinary finding forms a distinctive chapter in the building's religious history.
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