SAN FRANCESCO - is the Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscan Order, in Assisi, Italy, the birthplace of St. Francis. Burial place of St. Francis, the basilica is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy. The basilica, which was begun in 1228, comprises two churches known as the Upper Church and the Lower Church. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The most famous decorations are the series of 28 frescoes ascribed to Giotto along the lower part of the upper basilica's nave.