Basilica di Santa Chiara (Basilica of Saint Clare), Assisi

The Basilica di Santa Chiara stands at the eastern end of Assisi's old town, its distinctive pink-and-white striped flank of local Subasio stone braced by enormous flying buttresses that frame the square in front. Built from 1257 to enshrine Saint Clare, the noblewoman who followed Francis and founded the Order of Poor Clares, the church draws pilgrims and art lovers alike. Inside, the single Gothic nave is relatively austere, but two highlights repay a visit. In the Oratorio del Crocifisso hangs the celebrated Byzantine Crucifix of San Damiano, the painted cross that, according to tradition, spoke to the young Francis and told him to repair the church; it was brought here from San Damiano for safekeeping. Below the nave, a neo-Gothic crypt holds the body of Saint Clare together with relics, robes and hair associated with both Clare and Francis. The terrace beside the basilica is one of the best free viewpoints in Assisi, opening over the Spoleto valley and the patchwork of fields below, and is especially photogenic in the morning when the facade catches the light. Most visitors spend forty-five minutes to an hour here, often combining it with a walk along Corso Mazzini to Piazza del Comune. The church is busiest in the middle of the day, and early morning is quietest. As an active place of worship it enforces modest dress, and photography is restricted, particularly in the crypt and around the San Damiano cross. Admission is free. The basilica sits within the walls of Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and makes a rewarding counterpoint to the larger Basilica di San Francesco at the opposite end of town.