Religious tourism in Umbria

Umbria is a region that lives a very close relationship with spirituality. Sanctuaries and churches scattered almost everywhere make it one of the main destinations for religious tourism in Italy. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world choose it as their pilgrimage destination. St. Francis, St. Rita and St. Valentine are just some of the saints who over time have contributed to spreading the image of Umbria as a mystical place.

In this article we present the five most important sanctuaries in Umbria.

BASILICA OF SAN FRANCESCO IN ASSISI

The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi is one of the most important sanctuaries for the Catholic world and an extraordinary example of an architectural complex that has influenced the development of art and architecture itself. Begun in 1228, two years after the saint’s death, it was consecrated in 1253. It is composed of two overlapping churches: the lower one, which gives access to the crypt where the saint’s tomb is located, is adorned with valuable frescoes by Cimabue, Lorenzetti, Sermei and the Master of St. Francis; the upper one, in Gothic style with French influences, is embellished by Giotto’s famous cycle of frescoes illustrating the life of the saint. The Sacro Convento annexe houses the Museo del Tesoro (Treasury Museum), which collects paintings, jewellery and textile artefacts linked to the history of the basilica.

CATHEDRAL OF ORVIETO

The Cathedral of Orvieto, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, is one of the most significant creations of Italian Gothic architecture. Its construction began in 1290 but the work was not completed until the end of the 16th century. Illustrious artists such as Arnolfo di Cambio and Lorenzo Maitani participated in its realisation. The building strikes the visitor from the outside with its façade, decorated with bronze sculptures and precious mosaics. The interior, on the other hand, features stupendous frescoes by Gentile da Fabriano, Beato Angelico, Benozzo Gozzoli and Luca Signorelli. The extraordinary architectural complex of the Palazzi Papali, adjacent to the cathedral, houses the permanent collections of the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, documenting the development of the Duomo building site and the phases of the city’s artistic history.

SHRINE OF SAINT RITA OF CASCIA

In the upper part of the town of Cascia is the Sanctuary of Saint Rita, considered in popular tradition to be the ‘saint of impossible miracles’. The sanctuary is a religious complex consisting of several structures. The basilica is a modern construction (1947), has a façade bordered by two towers and is important both artistically and architecturally. Also of great interest is the monastery, adjacent to the basilica, where the saint lived for 40 years as an Augustinian nun and where her cell and the 15th-century cloister can be seen. A few kilometres from the sanctuary, precisely in Roccaporena (a hamlet of Cascia), stands the rock of Santa Rita, where, according to tradition, the saint prayed intensely, so much so that she left the imprints of her knees and elbows.

BASILICA OF SAN VALENTINO IN TERNI

Located just outside the historical centre of Terni, the Basilica of San Valentine is dedicated to the patron saint of the city and of lovers. The first basilica was built in the 4th century on the site of an ancient Christian cemetery where the saint himself was buried, but the one we see today dates back to the 17th century. The building has a very elegant façade while the single-nave interior is in a sober Baroque style. Under the altar is the urn containing the remains of St Valentine. Among the works of art present are those by the Flemish painter Lucas de la Haye, Cavalier d’Arpino and Luca Polidori. On the lower floor is a small lapidarium containing some artefacts dating back to Roman times.

SHRINE OF MERCIFUL LOVE OF COLLEVALENZA

In Collevalenza, a small hamlet in the municipality of Todi, stands the Sanctuary of Merciful Love, one of the most important religious centres in the region as well as one of the most daring examples of modern architecture. It was built at the behest of Mother Speranza, foundress of the Congregation of the Handmaids of Merciful Love, between 1953 and 1974 to a design by Spanish architect Julio Lafuente. The religious complex consists of three parts: the Chapel of the Crucifix, dominated by the large polychrome wooden crucifix by the artist Cullot Valera; the Basilica, surprising in its architecture and lines starting from the entrance; and the Crypt, housing the tomb of Blessed Mother Esperanza. There are also pools of miraculous water, where pilgrims can immerse themselves and quench their thirst.