Cathedral of San Rufino
The Cathedral of San Rufino is the principal church of Assisi, dedicated to Saint Rufinus, the first bishop of the city who was martyred in the 3rd century. Built in the Umbrian Romanesque style, it is the third sacred building raised on the same site to house the saint’s relics. The cathedral’s imposing facade — one of the finest Romanesque facades in all of Umbria — and its crypt, which preserves a Roman sarcophagus believed to contain the relics of Rufinus, draw visitors alongside the more famous Franciscan basilicas for which Assisi is internationally known.
At a glance
- Type
- Cathedral (Duomo); seat of the Diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino
- Period
- Third building on site; main construction 1140–1253
- Style
- Umbrian Romanesque
- Location
- Piazza San Rufino, Assisi, Province of Perugia, Umbria
- Coordinates
- 43.0704° N, 12.6178° E
Overview
Assisi Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Rufinus, is the third church constructed on the same site to house the relics of Bishop Rufinus, who was martyred in the 3rd century. This imposing cathedral, built in the Romanesque style of Umbria, stands at the highest point of the city’s historic centre on Piazza San Rufino. Although often overshadowed in popular itineraries by the celebrated Franciscan basilicas, the cathedral is a monument of exceptional architectural quality and of deep significance for the history of Christianity in Umbria.
History
The cult of Saint Rufinus, first bishop and martyr of Assisi, has ancient roots in the city. A first shrine was established early in the Christian era, succeeded by a second church that itself became inadequate over time. The present cathedral was begun in 1140 and substantially completed by 1253, a construction programme that overlapped with the life of Saint Francis of Assisi — who is believed to have been baptised in the cathedral’s font — and the beginnings of the Franciscan movement that would transform the city’s history.
The building’s construction was accompanied by the transfer of Saint Rufinus’s relics to a Roman-era marble sarcophagus in the crypt, where they remain. The campanile, one of the oldest parts of the complex, dates to an earlier phase of building on the site.
What you see
The cathedral’s west facade is its most celebrated feature: a three-register composition in the Umbrian Romanesque tradition, richly carved with rose windows, sculptural reliefs of animals, human figures, and sacred scenes, and decorated arcading that demonstrates the high quality of 12th-century Umbrian stonecarving. The central rose window is particularly fine. Inside, the nave and aisles present a more austere Romanesque interior, while the crypt houses the ancient sarcophagus of Saint Rufinus and preserves traces of the earlier buildings on the site.
Cultural significance
The Cathedral of San Rufino is of outstanding significance both architecturally and historically. Its Romanesque facade is considered among the finest in central Italy. The cathedral’s connection to Saint Francis — who received baptism here and later preached from its steps — adds a layer of Franciscan heritage to its already substantial importance as the mother church of Assisi. Together with the Basilica of San Francesco and the Basilica of Santa Chiara, it anchors Assisi’s status as one of the most important pilgrimage and heritage destinations in Italy.
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza San Rufino, 06081 Assisi PG, Umbria, Italy
- Hours
- The cathedral is generally open daily; the crypt and museum may have separate hours. Check the diocesan website or local tourist office for current schedules
- Admission
- Cathedral free; crypt and museum: small admission charge
Getting there
Assisi has a railway station (Santa Maria degli Angeli) on the Foligno–Terontola line, approximately 5 km from the historic centre, served by regular bus connections. From Perugia, the journey takes approximately 25 minutes by train. By car, Assisi is signposted from the SS75 Centrale Umbra and offers car parks just outside the historic walls. The cathedral is in the upper part of the old city, a short walk from the Basilica of Santa Chiara and from the central Piazza del Comune.