This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
Convent of St Francis: what you don't expect in Subiaco, the cradle of Benedictine monasticism
In Subiaco, a town known for its Benedictine monasteries, there is a complex you wouldn't expect: the Convent of San Francesco, surrounded by greenery. It originated from an encounter in 1223, when Francis of Assisi arrived here on a pilgrimage to the places of St Benedict. The Abbot of Santa Scolastica gave him some properties, including the hermitage of San Pietro in Desertis (St Peter in the Desert).
What's inside
What can be seen today is the result of an expansion undertaken in 1327. The structure has clearly recognisable Romanesque-Gothic elements. Inside, the chapels on the left contain paintings attributed to Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as Il Sodoma. On the altar of the first chapel is a Nativity by a pupil of Pinturicchio. On the right is a canvas attributed to Giulio Romano. And on the high altar, the highlight: a large triptych from 1467 by Antoniazzo Romano.
The bridge connecting two worlds
In 1356, the Ponte di San Francesco (St Francis Bridge) was built, a fortified medieval bridge linking the convent to the Benedictine monasteries. It gives the town an atmosphere from another era.
Practical information
The convent is located at Via S. Francesco, 00028 Subiaco (RM) and is managed by nuns.
