Chiesa di San Francesco (Church of San Francesco) is an impressive monument in Fano, a charming Italian town in the northern part of Le Marche region. When you see this ancient church that dates approximately to the 13th century look for the graves of one of the most influential Italian dynasties in the Middle Ages, the Malatesta family.
Early records about the construction of the Church of San Francesco date back to the year 1255, when the Franciscan order arrived in Fano. Over the years, the Chiesa di San Francesco suffered several natural disasters, including a fire in 1696 and earthquakes in 1672 and 1930. During the 19th century it was renovated by the well-known architects Arcangelo Innocenzi and Giuseppe Ferroni, who raised the height of the perimeter walls and modified the interior decoration. From 1336 to 1498, the city and church were controlled by the powerful Malatesta family. Find the impressive tombs of important members of the family, such as Sigismondo Pandolfo III Malatesta and Paola Bianca, his wife. The decoration of this last grave includes a beautiful sculpture surrounded by saints watching over Paola’s eternal rest.
The structure of the brick-made Chiesa di San Francesco is simple. Enter the porch, built by order of the Malatesta family. Admire its arches resting on old stone columns and try to spot the emblem of the noble family at the top. One of the walls in this area dates back many centuries and was part of the original Franciscan church.
Wander along the inside of the church to discover the single nave and its fantastic Corinthian columns. Find the hall and see another notable tomb belonging to Maddalena Ferroni, the daughter of Giuseppe Ferroni, the Italian architect who worked on renovations of the church. This monument has an iconic neoclassical style but unfortunately is not in very good condition.
Discover the charm of the Italian town of Fano and marvel at the ancient architecture and art of the famous church Chiesa di San Francesco.
