Gubbio - San Francesco

A settlement existed here already in Bronze age, pre-Roman times the Umbrian people had a town here, named Ikuvium. After the Roman conquest the town gained importance. The Roman theatre here is the second-largest surviving in the world.

Gubbio became very powerful in the Middle Ages, when Gubbio sent 1000 knights to fight in the First Crusade. Later the city was engaged in wars against the surrounding towns of Umbria.

San Francesco is located in the lower town of Gubbio. The Gothic style church was built by 1256. St. Francis of Assisi, who was closely associated with Gubbio, supposedly was once housed in a room adjacent to the church.

San Francesco may be work of Benedictian monk Fra Bevignate, who engineered the aqueduct supplying water to the Fontana Maggiore in Perugia.

Ottaviano Nelli created the frescoes of the left apse 1410-1415.

A second Nativity scene here. Mary is now seated. Joseph waiting in his typical gestus. The midwives have prepared the "First Bath", watched by donkey and ox. Jesus is standing (!) in the tub. In the background the shepherds listen to the angels and to the right the Magi are approaching. The black lady on her knees is probably the donor of the frescoe.