Sacro Convento

The friary is connected as part of three buildings to the upper and lower church of the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, which contains the body of Saint Francis.

[citation needed] Pope Gregory IX laid the cornerstone for the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi and the friary on 17 July 1228, the day after the canonization of Saint Francis.

[citation needed] In the 17th century, the kings of Spain endowed the Sacro Convento with a larger hospice so that the friars could better provide for the many infirm pilgrims.

It also became the theological training centre for diocesan seminarians, as well as for lay women and men seeking advanced degrees in Religious Studies.

[citation needed] In February 2024, the Sacro Convento hosted a symposium discussing the papal encyclical Laudato si'.