Sacro Speco di San Francesco

About

It is the oldest Franciscan place in Valnerina. Francis arrived here in 1213. He came from Narni, on foot, with a few of his companions, after one of the first apostolic missions. A researcher of solitary spaces suitable for prayer, the place must have been reported to him in the area. The Hermitage of the Sacro Speco is located a few kilometers from the medieval village of Sant'Urbano, which gave the original name to the place. In fact, for Francesco and the first biographers, this Sanctuary was known as "The Hermitage (or the desert) of S. Urbano". The origins of the hermitage date back to the year 1000. It depended on the Benedictines of S. Benedetto in Fundis di Stroncone; it included the various caves under the cliffs and the oratory of San Silvestro, which today presents precious fourteenth-century frescoes, with the adjacent cistern. Today the Hermitage is characterized by being a sanctuary, a House of prayer and spiritual welcome.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes