Weekend in Assisi

Great news from Italy...we finally got the internet today! Now I can blog much more often and keep everyone better updated with our Italian lives. Sorry in advance for such a long blog, but I just had so many great pictures to share with all of you! The last weekend of October, Karl and I took a long weekend and went to Assisi, Italy (northern Italy in the Umbria region) to celebrate Karl's 27th birthday. We had a truly unforgettable time; Assisi is the most beautiful place I've ever been to and there is soooo much history there! Assisi is the hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare and it is famous worldwide for it's art and religious mouments (this is the area that started the Italian Renaissance). This midevil town is remarkable and built with pink stone on a steep hill (it was finished being built in the mid-1200's and has barely changed since).

The view of the walled town of Assisi as you drive up

A view of Assisi from above at the Rocca Maggiore (one of the castles that guarded the town in the 14th century)

Me and the valley

The streets of Assisi are postcard perfect- cascades of flowers fall from wall sconces and sunlight seems to fill all the tiny streets

The Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Commune in the center of town. Assisi was built on top of a Roman city that was very active around 1 B.C. and the Temple is what you can see of the old city (the original Roman Forum of the city in located under the Piazza). Our hotel was actually right across the street from the Temple. The Temple of Minerva is said to be the best preserved Roman temple in Italy after the Pantheon in Rome.

The Duomo di San Rufino dates back to the 16th century and under the church is more of the Roman city (Karl and I went underneath and walked some of the original Roman streets). View from our hotel room :) This is a very historical church- the Basilica della Porziuncola. The basilica is built around the little chapel that St. Francis preached from and spoke to his followers (the Porzincola). Another shot from the Rocca Maggiore Watching the sun come up in the morning is amazing as it burns the fog off the valley Sooooo beautiful! A view from the Rocca Maggiore of the Basilica di San Francesco (the famous church of Assisi). As art lovers, this is where Karl and I spent a lot of time- every wall is painted with a fresco detailing the life of St. Francis. This is where many of the famous works of Giotto, Lorenzetti, and Cimabue are located. We couldn't take pictures inside, but we encourage you to google the Basilica and see some of the art. Italy is going to make me fat! mmmmm.... A view from outside the Basilica di Santa Chiara. This basilica is home to the famous crucifix that spoke to St. Francis and inspired him to renounce all his worldly possessions and the "repair the church". Nighttime was so peaceful here- we spent both of our evenings just walking around the empty streets and taking it all in.

A view from the other window in our hotel room Trying to catch the nun on camera Outside the Basilica di San Francesco Karl with the monestary behind him Looking up at the Rocca Maggiore