Chiesa e convento di San Francesco

The Church and Convent of San Francesco occupies a hillside site in San Miniato and remains connected with Franciscan worship and hospitality. Its single-nave church, two cloisters and refectory preserve layers of religious life and art.

Why it matters

Local tradition links the foundation of the convent to Saint Francis and dates it to 1211. The complex grew over subsequent centuries, and the convent's continued use preserves its connection to pilgrimage and the Via Francigena.

What to notice

The church has a simple single nave. A carved choir of twenty-nine stalls is attributed to Giuliano di Baccio D'Agnolo, and a painting of the Virgin is attributed to Ghirlandaio. The refectory contains a large canvas by Carlo Bambocci depicting the supper of Saint Francis and Saint Clare. The cloister dei padri dates to the sixteenth century, while the cloister dei novizi is from the eighteenth.

Context and history

An oratory was enlarged into a church and convent in the mid-fourteenth century. The façade retains traces of the earlier structure. The complex continues to serve religious life and the needs of pilgrims and travellers on the Via Francigena.