Volume 2 will include our addition of a fold-out map featuring the Otto Porte and portraits of the locals who took us in.

A Little Background

Assis was founded by the Umbrians around 1000 BC and conquered by the Etruscans about five centuries later; then into the hands of the Romans (295 BC) and became part of the Duchy of Spoleto in the early Middle Ages. Assisi was annexed to the Papal States (16th century). The town of Assisi stands on the western slope of Monte Subasio, whose pink-colored stones were used to build many Franciscan buildings; Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis 1181 and St. Clare 1194. In 1818 and 1850, the remains of St. Francis and St. Clare were recovered, and Assisi became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the world. It is also the home to the mother church of the Franciscan Order: the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Beatrice and I spent a month inside the walled city of Assisi, finding and photographing the eight doors of Assisi. Armed with a tourist map, we decided to visit and document all the doors as part of our book (Set for publication in January 2024). Only two Portas still have the wooden doors attached. The appearance of the doors entering the city has an impressive presence. Porta Sementone is the only porta that is not used as a thoroughfare. A green landscape surrounds the massive door.

Approaching Porta San Giacomo, we saw a small tree growing out of the top of the structure, not visible on the other side. The seven doors, apart from Sementone, are used daily and have cars, bikes, and the most miniature three-wheeled trucks traveling through and servicing the people of Assisi. We are working to identify the exact locations of the Otto Porte.

Portraits

I met some extraordinary characters that were the highlight of our stay.