WOODLAND OF SAINT FRANCIS, Woodland Of Saint Francis

Hi, my name’s Rick, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo I’d like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world: the Woodland of Saint Francis.

The Woodland of Saint Francis is an area of the Umbrian forest managed by FAI, the Fondo Ambiente Italiano or National Trust for Italy, steeped in peace, history and spirituality.

Just imagine, until 2008, this was an abandoned place, turned into an illegal dump. When the Trust received it as a gift, it had to clear it of over 30 tonnes of rubbish, restore the historical buildings and plant new trees, but it was definitely worth it!

Once you enter, next to the Basilica of St Francis you will find a trail of about one and a half kilometres leading to a clearing where there are ancient buildings dating to the 14th century.

They were part of the Santa Croce Complex of the Benedictine nuns, and they include the remains of the convent and a small hospital, a mill that houses a refreshment stand and a small Romanesque church. From here you will find directions to a tower. When you arrive, go up to the first floor and enjoy the view from above of a very important artistic work: Michelangelo Pistoletto's Third Paradise. I suggest you pause and start listening again when you have reached this point....