Basilica di San Francesco /
Basilica of Saint Francis / Frescoes by Piero della Francesca
The Basilica of Saint Francis, a treasure chest of one of the absolute masterpieces of Italian art, houses one of the most famous and well-known pictorial cycles throughout the world “The Legend of the True Cross” by Piero della Francesca.
The cycle painted by the artist between 1452 and 1466 does not follow a narrative sequence and does not consider the chronological succession of the episodes. The scenes divided into three levels on the central wall and on the side walls of the Bacci Chapel tell the story of the wood on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The episodes are taken from The Golden Legend by Jacopo da Varagine, a collection of saints’ lives and explanations of liturgical feasts written by the Dominican friar starting from the 1360s and widely popular throughout the Middle Ages.
Inside the Basilica of Saint Francis, in addition to the masterpiece by Piero della Francesca, there are also other noteworthy works, including the large polychrome wooden cross that stands above the altar. Dating back to the eighth-ninth decade of the thirteenth century, a time when the current church was still under construction, it is attributed to an Umbrian painter identified as “The Master of Saint Francis”. The cross, once hung in the centre of the vault of the Bacci Chapel, depicts a Patient Christ, that is, a suffering Christ, with Saint Francis kneeling at his feet in adoration.
STATE MUSEUM
Ticket
Regular / € 10,00 (€ 7,00 + € 3,00 pre-sale fee)
Reduced / € 6,00 (€ 3,00 + € 3,00 pre-sale fee)
Free admission (+ € 3,00 pre-sale fee)
Reservation is compulsory and is made at the time of ticket purchase
TICKET OFFICE
Basilica di San Francesco
Via di San Francesco
DISCOUNTS, REDUCTIONS AND GROUPS
See who is entitled to reduced-price tickets or free admission, read the specifications on admission for individuals and groups
GENERAL CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE
Read the terms and conditions of purchase, withdrawal and refund policies
STARTING FROM
10,00€
Online ticket office
ONLINE TICKET
Regular
€ 10,00
(€ 7,00 + € 3,00 commission fee)
Reduced
€ 6,00
(€ 3,00 + € 3,00 commission fee)
Free admission (+ € 3,00 commission fee)
TIMETABLES
Mon – Tue – Thu – Fri / 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sat / 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sun / 1 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Last entry 30 minutes before closing time
Interruption of visits from 10.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for religious service
Monday, December 25 Closed
ACCESS
Basilica di San Francesco
Via di San Francesco
OFFERS FOR YOUR STAY
BUY THE COMBINED MUSEUM TICKET
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Special openings
Wednesday, December 6 | 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Friday, December 8 | 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Tuesday, December 26 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Information
• Visits to the Bacci Chapel and Piero della Francesca’s Legend of the True Cross are by booking only for a maximum of 30 people per turn, lasting 30 minutes in total.
• The first Sunday of the month offers free admission; ticket distribution will take place in hourly slots until seats are filled.
• Appropriate clothing is required to enter the Basilica, with shoulders and legs covered up to knee height. Animals, food and drink are not allowed. Proper silence and respect for the place and the people who are there to pray is required in the Basilica.
• The ticket office closes 30 minutes before the closing time of the Museum
Ticket office contact details:
(+39) 0575 1696256
info@arezzointour.it
Museums and Monuments
