The Church of San Francesco al Prato stands in Piazza San Francesco al Prato in Perugia, the hilltop city in Umbria. It is also known as the Chiesa di San Francesco al Prato, and it is a large church dating from the 13th century, built in the Gothic style.
Today the building is only partly intact. Parts of its structure have been lost over the centuries, yet what remains still conveys the scale and ambition of the original church. Walking among its walls gives a sense of how important it once was.
Why it matters
In medieval Perugia, the church served as a major centre for the Franciscan order. It once housed important frescoes, and it was a place where the religious life of the city was closely bound up with the friars who worked there.
What a visit offers
- A look at a substantial Gothic church with a partly ruined interior
- A sense of the Franciscan presence in medieval Perugia
- A quieter stop away from the busier streets of the historic centre
Because the church is a ruin in part, it suits visitors who enjoy architecture, history and atmosphere more than a complete, furnished interior. If you are interested in medieval religious buildings, it is a worthwhile place to see.
For practical details such as opening times, you can call the church on +39 075 573 957. Perugia itself has plenty to explore around the church, so it can easily be combined with a walk through the wider city.
