San Francesco (13th century)
The 14th century dissident Franciscan, Angelo Clareno, records a vision that St Francis had during his stay at the Speco di Sant' Urbano outside Narni in 1213. According to tradition, Bishop Ugolino (1208-20) called St Francis to Narni at this time and the saint established a second oratory on what was to become the site of San Francesco. The early biographies record a miracle that St Francis performed at Narni, but it is impossible to be sure that this occurred in 1213.
Whatever the accuracy of the foundation stories, it does seem that the present church was begun soon after the death of St Francis in 1226. The Franciscans occupied the convent here until the suppression of 1860.
The façade dates to the 14th century, but its rose window above was removed in the 17th century. The fresco (17th century) in the niche above the portal depicts the Madonna di Loretto.
 Image courtesy of Arch. Gustavo Capri |
The interior is in the form of a wife nave and two aisles. The present polygonal apse was built in 1324-37 in a style similar to that used for the re-built apse of the Duomo. Side chapels were added in the 14th and 15th centuries.
A “brutal” restoration of the church was carried out in 1858, two years before suppression. It was badly damaged by fire in 1998.
Eroli Chapel (1st chapel on the right)
This family chapel originally communicated with the adjacent Palazzo Eroli. Cardinal Berardo Eroli probably commissioned Pierantonio Mezzastris to paint the important fresco cycle (ca. 1470) of scenes from the lives of SS Francis that covers the walls.
The cycle also includes two scenes from the life of St Bernardino of Siena, to whom the chapel was dedicated:
St Bernardino before the Bishop of Siena (the future Pope Eugenius IV); and
St Bernardino brings a woman back to life.
Photographs of the frescoes by Marco Santarelli are included in the website www.provincia.terni.it.
Frescoes on the columns
The columns of the church were originally covered by votive frescoes (mostly 15th century) in three orders.
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2nd column on the left | 2nd column on the right | 3rd column on the right |
Frescoes (2nd chapel on the right)
These include frescoes (14th century) under the entrance arch that depict the Apostles in tondi.
Frescoes (2nd chapel on the left)
These include a damaged fresco of St George and the dragon (late 14th or early 15th century) on the right wall that is attributed to the Maestro di Narni del 1409.
Frescoes (3rd chapel on the left)
These include:
the Madonna della Misericordia (14th century) attributed to a follower of the Maestro della Dormitio di Terni; and
the Madonna and Child (late 14th or early 15th century) attributed to the Maestro di Narni del 1409.
Frescoes (4th chapel on the left)
The surviving frescoes (late 14th or early 15th century), which are to the left of the entrance arch, depict the Trinity and St John the Baptist and are attributed to the Maestro di Narni del 1409. The fresco of the Triity uses the iconography of the three-headed Christ.
Sacristy
The friars conceded this chapel to the Compagnia di San Giuseppe in 1570. [I think this is to the right of the apse. however, the door was locked during my visit in May 2006, so I could not see it.]
Scenes from the Old and New Testaments (ca. 1570)
The Compagnia di San Giuseppe commissioned this documented fresco cycle from Alessandro Torresani for the walls of their new chapel.
Return to the walk.