The History

The Church of San Francesco in Cortona is one of the places of worship in the Tuscan village.

This church was built in the mid-13th century in honor of Francis of Assisi and his long stays in the city.

The architectural form recalls the typical Franciscan style, and inside you can admire works by illustrious artists.

They range from the Annunciation by Pietro da Cortona to the Virgin in Glory among the Saints by Ciro Ferri, and the Nativity by Raffaello Vanni.

The church also houses a fragment of the Cross of Christ: legend has it that it was taken from Constantinople by Brother Elias himself. The connection between Saint Francis of Assisi and Cortona is evidenced by some of the saint's belongings, still preserved in the church of the same name: among them his habit, the Gospel Book, and a cushion.

The construction of the Church of Saint Francis was commissioned by the saint's successor, Brother Elias.

In 1247, he began construction of the building, based on the remains of an ancient Roman bathhouse.

Underscoring the church's importance to the Franciscans, Elias himself was buried here. Inside the church lie the remains of Luca Signorelli, a celebrated Renaissance artist.

Curiosities

Il B&B San Francesco non è un semplice bed and breakfast, bensì è un luogo ricco di storia e di fascino.

Indeed, the Laudario Cortonese was written here, the oldest known collection of Italian music in the vernacular, and the only one from the 13th century. Its exact date is unknown, but it is believed to have been copied between 1270 and 1297. It belonged to the Fraternity of Santa Maria delle Laude, of the church of San Francesco in Cortona. It is therefore an extremely important testimony to the history of Italian and European music and culture, given the diffusion of the lauda.

In the 13th century, this form of expression of the contemplative life became, under the Franciscans, a means of preaching through the figure of the jester, redeemed and transformed into a tool for spreading the word of God.

These spiritual "popular songs," called Laude, began to be sung primarily in the confraternities known as "dei Laudesi."

But the interesting facts about the B&B San Francesco don't end there. The convent was also home to the 14th-century astronomer and scholar Francesco Moneti. For this reason, the room where he used to observe the stars was named "Observatory" in his honor.