The convent of S. Francesco, now largely destroyed, was built in the thirteenth century. It had quickly achieved undoubted prestige, so much so that it was chosen as the seat for an important arbitration between the cities of Rieti and Narni in 1299.
Convent of S.Francesco
Position
Contrada Sant’Antonino Prima, 40
02040 Tarano (RI)
Opening hours
Temporarily closed
Contacts
Tel.
Mail:
The complex is composed of the Church, mostly exposed, and the attached Convent. On the ground floor, it features a portico with two cross-vaulted spans and an upper floor with a cloister of arches on pillars, with former cells now serving residential purposes.
Established in the 13th century, this complex exemplifies the distinctive architecture of Franciscan convents. The church, from a construction perspective, displays particular craftsmanship. Mentioned in the “Provinciale Vetustissimus” of 1344, the convent escaped suppressions ordered by Pope Innocent X between 1649 and 1652 for convents with fewer than 6 friars and remained active in 1771, as noted by the historian Righini.
In 1790, the convent was officially closed, but the church continued to be used, with a small contingent of friars residing in the residential wing. In 1833, scholar Marocco described it as “reduced to a country house,” but noted that the church had not suffered any significant damage.
In 1872, the guidebook by Guardabassi documented the decorated stained glass windows of the church, traces of which still existed and had been reworked in the 16th century.