Chiesa di San Francesco (Urbino)

The Church of San Francesco in Urbino preserves the tombs of painters Giovanni Santi and Federico Barocci, alongside Barocci's altarpiece of the Perdono di Assisi.

Why it matters

The church connects Urbino's artistic history with the religious and civic life of its historic centre. Its burials and artworks preserve the memory of painters whose careers shaped the city's Renaissance and later artistic identity.

What to notice

The church's present three-nave interior reflects an eighteenth-century remodelling of an earlier two-nave Gothic building. Federico Barocci's Perdono di Assisi hangs above the high altar. Tombs of Giovanni Santi and Magia Ciarla, Raphael's parents, and of Barocci are also preserved in the church. The paired canvases of Saint Peter baptising by Giuseppe Passeri and Ercole Procaccini complement the altarpiece.

Context and history

The Franciscan foundation dates to before 1200, and the church was rebuilt after 1250 near Porta Valbona. As the surrounding quarter developed, the church became associated with Urbino's artistic families. Eighteenth-century remodelling transformed the interior and established Barocci's altarpiece at the high altar. The church remains an important part of the historic urban fabric of Urbino.