Assisi is perhaps best known for its chosen son – St. Francis, Italy’s patron saint. Its peaceful vistas, however, were not always so serene. Assisi has been the site of many wars, dating back as early as the sixth century. Despite its violent past, prosperity during the 13th and 14th centuries resulted in one of the world’s greatest collections of frescoes, now housed in the Basilica di San Francesco. Apart from the religious sites, additional points of interest include the Rocca, the pagan temple, the Forum and the amphitheatre – as well as the city’s countless epigraphs, wells and statuary. For pilgrims, Assisi is the third most visited site in Italy.