From the first glimpse of the Basilica di Santa Chiara, the church is charming. White and pastel pink stones run in stripes around the Gothic-style building, and the fountained piazza in front of it offers an amazing view of the Umbrian countryside. Directing your vision straight down the hill will give you an up-close look at the olive trees that the Sisters of St. Clare tend.
The interior is a typical Umbrian Gothic basilica, with an open, vast apse and medieval frescoes. A side chapel (actually it used to be its own church – San Giorgio – before the newer basilica was built) provides one of the most interesting relics in Assisi. As the story goes, St. Francis, the materialistic and worldly son of a wealthy Assisi family, was praying at the nearby church of San Damiano when the painted crucifix spoke to him, telling him to simplify his life and rebuild the Catholic Church. Francis took the message to heart, and the crucifix can now be seen in this otherwise unimpressive chapel at the Basilica di Santa Chiara. When I visited, the chapel was fairly empty and quiet. Many tourists hear that a cross spoke to Francis at San Damiano and go in search of it there (where there is now simply a replica), and consequently, this chapel remains a peaceful and meditative spot.
St. Clare's body (along with that of her sister, also a saint, and their mother) is now located in the crypt of the church, as are a series of relics related to Assisi's two most famous residents. Among the most impressive and moving are the robe of St. Francis, a garment that Clare herself sewed, and a letter written by Francis that bares his simple signature T-style cross.