Chiostro di San Francesco

The Cloister of San Francesco in Tagliacozzo is a trapezoidal courtyard surrounded by a portico. Its painted lunettes depict episodes from the life of Saint Francis, while Gothic double windows preserve traces of the convent's earlier architecture.

Why it matters

The cloister brings together different phases of the Franciscan complex's history. Its portico paintings present the life of the saint, and the Gothic windows on the north side are among the oldest surviving features of the convent. The complex was declared a national monument in 1902.

What to notice

The lunettes contain scenes inspired by the Legenda Maior, the life of Saint Francis written by Bonaventure. A painted genealogical tree of the Franciscan order, dated 1608, decorates the entrance vault. In the centre of the courtyard, a cistern and well head recall the practical life of the friars.

Context and history

The Franciscan presence in Tagliacozzo dates to the medieval period, and the adjacent church was completed by 1270. The cloister took shape during extensive works in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries; its fresco cycle was painted in 1608. The complex closed after the Napoleonic suppression in 1809 and later served civic uses. Restoration in 1960 removed Baroque finishes and returned the church and convent to their Franciscan character.