
The Story of Assisi
by Lina Duff Gordon - Illustrated by Nelly Erichsen and M. Helen James
Perched between the gentle slopes of the Umbrian hills and the whispering river below, Assisi glows like a living fresco, its stone rooftops catching the first light of dawn. The opening verses echo Dante’s reverent description, inviting listeners to feel the timeless hush that settles over the city’s narrow lanes and ancient churches. It is a place where heat and cold mingle in the air, and every stone seems to hold a fragment of a long‑ago miracle.
The narrative walks you through the most cherished landmarks— the towering Basilica of San Francesco, the modest Portiuncula where Saint Francis first heard his call, and the tranquil gardens that frame the town’s cloisters. Accompanied by richly detailed photographs, each stop is painted with the author’s love for the art, architecture, and the everyday lives of the people who have tended these streets for centuries. The tone is both scholarly and intimate, offering a sense of wandering through a living museum.
As you listen, the story gently unfolds the layers of history, faith, and culture that have shaped this hill‑top sanctuary. From medieval frescoes to the quiet rhythm of market days, the book invites you to experience Assisi’s enduring charm, leaving you with a lingering sense of peace that lingers long after the final chapter ends.
Language
en
Duration
~10 hours (580K characters)
Series
Mediæval town series
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2012-01-12
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1874–1964
An English writer with deep ties to Italy, she brought places like Assisi and Perugia vividly to life and later became an Italian correspondent for major British newspapers. Her life also helped shape the cultural world of Florence through the library that grew into the British Institute of Florence.
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