"The church was probably founded in 1240, although some historians believe that construction began as early as 1227, the year following the death of Saint Francis. On the same site there previously stood another church, dedicated to Santa Maria della Pulzella, and a convent of Benedictine monks. The building was almost rebuilt in 1262 according to the indications of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio whose presence is attested in Orvieto between 1262 and 1264. The church was finally consecrated in 1266 by Pope Clement IV. The appearance was that of the typical Franciscan church of the time, with a single nave, quadrangular apse and wooden trussed roof.
The gabled façade of the church of San Francesco is the original one of the fourteenth-century church, raised slightly over the centuries. It has three pointed arch portals: the central one has a planking made of local white and red stone, the lateral ones are surmounted by a plastered band which presents faint traces of frescoes. At the top there are two lateral rose windows, most likely from the thirteenth century, and a central window, which was added in the Baroque period presumably in place of a third eye. The sides and the apse maintain the original architectural elements, despite subsequent restorations, including the mullioned windows.
On the external left side wall, the fragment of a white stone plaque has been walled up in which an arm is visible holding up a sphere and the writing in Gothic characters in the most a(ltu d'u)rvietu io sto. It is believed that the plaque was originally placed above the fountain in which one of the two branches of the aqueduct that supplied water to the city ended. The branch in question supplied water to the highest part of the town, while the other fed the fountain in the town square. The plaque was removed during the expansion works of the church and, although damaged, it was walled up on the external wall of the church itself.
The interior is in stark contrast with the exterior due to the preservation up to the present day of the renovation from the second half of the eighteenth century, in baroque style, with neoclassical motifs: it consists of a nave with interconnecting chapels, the result of modifications in the second half of the eighteenth century. Originally the church was made up of a single hall and supported by five tall and narrow pointed arches set against the walls. The roof of the nave was made up of exposed trusses; the particular construction technique adopted made it the largest building in medieval architecture."

Davide Pizzi

"From the outside, it's Franciscan in its simplicity and archaically old. From the inside, it's closed."

Helden aus Glas

"The Church of San Francesco is one of the oldest and most significant examples of religious architecture in Orvieto. Located in Piazza Febei, at the highest point of the Orvieto cliff, the church stands on the site where the Franciscan friars settled since 1216.

The construction of the building probably began in 1240, although some sources suggest an earlier date, around 1227, just a year after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The church was consecrated in 1266 by Pope Clement IV. Initially, it had the typical characteristics of Franciscan churches of the time: a single nave with a quadrangular apse and a wooden truss roof.

Over the centuries, the church has undergone several modifications. In the 16th century, altars were added along the side walls, while between 1768 and 1773 the interior was transformed in Baroque style, with the addition of side chapels and a dome over the transept. The facade, although restored, retains the marble portal carved with pointed arches and multiple pillars.

An element of particular interest is the wooden crucifix above the altar, attributed to Lorenzo Maitani and dating back to around 1320. Furthermore, in the chapel to the left of the presbytery, during the restoration of 1999, frescoes attributed to Pietro di Puccio were discovered, depicting scenes from the life of San Matteo.

An interesting anecdote concerns the cloister of the adjacent convent, where there is an ancient well that, according to tradition, was built by San Bonaventura da Bagnoregio during his stay in Orvieto between 1262 and 1264.

Currently, the church is undergoing internal restoration and can only be visited externally.

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Lorenzo