San Francesco, Medieval church in historic centre of Grosseto, Italy
San Francesco is a brick church in central Grosseto featuring Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements. The building stands out with a large rose window above the main entrance and an attached cloister that is part of the monastic complex.
The church was originally a Benedictine monastery called San Fortunato and underwent reconstruction in 1231. The shift to Franciscan leadership and its consecration in 1289 marked a new chapter in its history.
The name reflects the connection to the Franciscan movement that shaped religious life in Grosseto. The interior shows how this order expressed its spiritual ideals through artworks and the spatial design that visitors still see today.
The church is easy to reach in the heart of the old town and welcomes visitors throughout the year. It is best to visit in the morning when the interior light is most suitable for viewing the artworks.
A chapel inside holds Baroque paintings created by two brothers in the 17th century, offering a rare glimpse of local artistic collaboration. These frescoes show an artistic style that clearly differs from the older artworks found elsewhere in the building.
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