Chiesa di San Francesco

San Francesco is a brick Gothic church associated with the Friars Minor in Treviso. Its medieval frescoes, funerary memorials and reconstructed timber roof preserve both the religious history of the site and the effects of later disruption and restoration.

Why it matters

The church developed during the thirteenth century as part of the Franciscans' presence in the city. Its memorials connect Treviso with figures from wider Italian cultural history, including Pietro Alighieri, Dante's son, and Francesca Petrarca, Petrarch's daughter.

What to notice

The wooden roof follows the form of an inverted ship's hull. Sepulchral fragments survive within the building, while Pietro Alighieri's recomposed tomb and Francesca Petrarca's plaque preserve distinct commemorative histories. The Giacomelli Chapel contains a Madonna and Child associated with Tomaso da Modena; other medieval paintings include images of Saint Christopher.

Context and history

A statute of 1231 allocated funds for the friars' church and dwellings. Following the fall of the Venetian Republic, military use damaged the complex and dispersed artworks. Twentieth-century restoration involved Luigi Coletti and Mario Botter; the timber roof was rebuilt in 1927, and the friars returned in 1928.