Cookie preferences

Choose which cookies to accept. Your choice lasts 6 months, and you can change it at any time. Cookie policy

Technical cookies

Always on

pll_language remembers your language (1 year); sg_consenso stores your cookie choice (6 months). They are needed for the site to work and do not require consent.

Google Analytics 4, provided by Google Ireland Limited, collects data about visits (pages viewed, device, approximate location) for statistics on how the site is used. It sets the _ga and _ga_<code> cookies, which last up to 2 years. It is active only with your consent.

The GetYourGuide calendar, provided by GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, shows dates and prices for experiences and tracks bookings made from this site. It sets the visitor_id cookie (up to 13 months) and a technical Cloudflare cookie (30 minutes), and it loads a font from Google Fonts. Without consent, you see a link to GetYourGuide instead of the calendar.

Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata (Arquata del Tronto)

Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata (Arquata del Tronto)

Type
Church
Address
Frazione di BorgoArquata del Tronto (AP)

Source: site database, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

The Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata (Chiesa di San Francesco e Sindone di Arquata) stands in the hamlet of Borgo in Arquata del Tronto. It was part of an old Franciscan convent complex founded in the second half of the 13th century along the Via Salaria. It has a 16th-century portal and is linked to a faithful copy of the Shroud. Since the 2016 earthquake the church has been unsafe and closed.

Share

On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata

The complex was built around 1251 and also included a convent of Franciscan friars. The buildings were remodeled several times during the Renaissance. The convent remained active until the 19th century: from 1866 its rooms were turned into housing and only the church remained in use.

A parchment from 1655 mentions a linen sheet of the same size as the original Shroud, 440 cm long and 114 high. For centuries the relic was reserved exclusively for the Franciscans of the convent, while the local clergy were unaware of its existence. In 1980, during restoration work, a gilded urn containing the sacred linen was brought to light and then put on permanent display in the church.

What to see in the Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata

The main draw was the copy of the Shroud, which since September 2016 has been kept in the Cathedral of Sant'Emidio in Ascoli Piceno. Until 2016 it was surrounded by one hundred lamps, as many as, according to legend, accompanied the relic in processions and during droughts, famines and wars. On the outside, the 16th-century portal remains.

The works of art include a stone altar with a painting attributed to the school of Cola dell'Amatrice, surviving painted decorations, stucco work and stone elements that survived the collapses. The building also includes the Cappella Bucciarelli.

How to visit the Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata

Following the 2016 earthquake, the church is no longer safe to enter. The earthquake and the snowfall of January 2017 caused the roof and the wooden ceiling to collapse. In October 2026 the restoration and conservation project was approved. Before making the trip, it is best to ask the Comune (town hall) for information.

Where the Church of San Francesco and the Shroud of Arquata is located

The church is in Borgo, a hamlet of Arquata del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno. The village is about 30 km from both Ascoli Piceno and Norcia. The European long-distance path E1 passes through Borgo.

Around the Chiesa di San Francesco in Arquata del Tronto

On the plain just below Arquata, near Borgo, stands the Church of Santissimo Salvatore in Arquata del Tronto. In the center of the village is the Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo. The medieval fortress (rocca) towers above the town. Other religious buildings in the area are listed on the page churches of the Sibillini Mountains.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chiesa di San Francesco in Arquata del Tronto open?

No, the church has been unsafe and closed since the 2016 earthquake. The earthquake and the snowfall of January 2017 caused the roof to collapse. In October 2026 the restoration project was approved. It is best to ask the Comune for information before planning a visit.

Is the Shroud of Arquata the original?

No, it is a faithful copy of the Shroud. For centuries it was kept by the Franciscans of the convent. A parchment from 1655 mentions a linen sheet of the same size as the original, 440 cm by 114 cm. The Arquata cloth is therefore a different relic from the one in Turin.

Where was the Shroud of Arquata taken after the earthquake?

After the 2016 earthquake, the Shroud, recovered from the rubble, was moved to the Cattedrale di Sant'Emidio in Ascoli Piceno. Before visiting Arquata to see it, it is worth checking where it is kept today.

When was the Chiesa di San Francesco in Arquata built?

The Franciscan convent complex dates from the second half of the 13th century and was built along the Via Salaria. It is dated to around 1251. It was remodeled several times during the Renaissance. The convent remained active until the 19th century: from 1866 its rooms were turned into housing and only the church stayed in use.

Nearby

Straight-line distances.