The former chapel of St Francis

The space that today leads from the nave to the New Sacristy, reduced to a mere passageway, was once one of the chapels of the Sanctuary. Dedicated to St Francis, patron of the order that ruled the temple for centuries, it must have been among the most important. Now the walls appear completely white, but were undoubtedly frescoed with stories of the Seraphic. Only in the upper part are the ribs of the vault and the cornice rendered pictorially. Of extraordinary quality is the sepulchral monument of Girolamo Stanga (1498), characteristic for its use of marble and refined details, so much so that it is attributed to Gian Cristoforo Romano.

For further information click here: Sanctuary bibliography and insights