Frate Elia e l'architettura

The relationship between the charismatic figure of Friar Elia and the construction both of the basilica of San Francesco in Assisi and the church of St. Francis in Cortona is an issue that has many times aroused interest, and which every time poses the same problem of the lack of sources. In this paper the church of San Francesco of Cortona and partly the adjacent monastery are considered. They were built on land which in 1245 and the following year the town of Cortona sold to Friar Elia. The study has highlighted the close relationship between the construction of the church and the first phase of the monastery, allowing us to make hypotheses about the features of the church related to the choices of Friar Elia, considering that the completion of the construction of the church took place very likely after his death.