La costruzione della forma della chiesa di San Francesco a Viterbo

Abstract

The “construction of the form” of the church of San Francesco in Viterbo took place in three phases, two medieval, the third
derived from the restorations following the bombings of the last war, when the collapse of the stuccos placed in the ship in the
17th century brought to light its original structures.
Two construction phases are recognizable in the church, but it was believed that the first structure belonged to a church dedicated
to Sant’Angelo, enlarged by the Franciscans in 1236 creating the presbytery area.
We also consider the first phase to be Franciscan, with the church founded after the donation of the area made in 1236 by
Gregory IX, just ten years after the death of Saint Francis and by will of the Pope himself, who had canonized the Saint and
initiated (1228) the construction of the mother church of Assisi, which was not yet completed at the date of consecration of 1253
by Innocent IV.
The two churches present many affinities due to the influences of French Gothic and because they have had an expansion, in
Assisi relating to the construction of a further church above the original one, in Viterbo with the construction of the presbytery
area which enlarges a first Franciscan church.

Keywords : Viterbo, 13th century, Franciscan architecture, proportions, restorations.