Pistoia - San Francesco

This large church dedicated to St Francis, begun in 1294 and completed about 1400, stands in the Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi. In later centuries it was converted to secular use as a store and as a barracks. The facade, banded in white and green marble, was not added until 1717. The interior was remodeled during the Baroque period, when the 14th century frescoes were damaged; during restoration work in 1930 many of them were again revealed. The wall-paintings (14th century) in the principal chapel, by Lippo Memmi, Pietro Lorenzetti and Puccio Capanna (a pupil of Giotto), depict scenes from the life of St Francis. There are other 14th century frescoes in the side chapels, and in the sacristy and chapter-house (which adjoins the cloister) there are also frescoes on the legend of St Francis.