Santuario del Sacro Tugurio di Rivotorto, Assisi

Religious Building in Assisi

CC BY-SA 2.0 / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santuaro_Rivotorto_front_Perugia_Italy_Sep19_D72_11985.jpg

Just a few kilometres south of Assisi on the road toward Foligno, the Santuario di Rivotorto feels like a calm exhale after the basilica crowds. From the outside it's a 19th-century neo-Gothic church, but the reason people come is inside: a rebuilt, rough-stone hovel known as the Sacro Tugurio, the place tradition links to the first small community of Franciscan companions.

The visit is less about grand architecture and more about proximity to beginnings. You walk into a modern protective shell and find something intentionally humble at its heart, marked by the inscription HIC PRIMORDIA FRATRUM MINORUM-“here the beginnings of the Friars Minor.” It’s a stop that works especially well if you want a fuller Franciscan itinerary that goes beyond the headline basilicas and into the quieter, more human-scale places.

History and Significance of the Santuario di Rivotorto
Things to See and Do in the Santuario di Rivotorto
How to Get to the Santuario di Rivotorto
Practical Tips on Visiting the Santuario di Rivotorto
Where to Stay Close to the Santuario di Rivotorto
Is the Santuario di Rivotorto Worth Visiting?
For Different Travelers
FAQs for Visiting Santuario di Rivotorto
Nearby Attractions to the Santuario di Rivotorto

History and Significance of the Santuario di Rivotorto

Rivotorto’s importance in the Franciscan story is that it represents a brief but formative stage: the earliest fraternity learning how to live together, pray together, and shape a shared rule of life. In practical terms, this is the “before the movement became large” moment-when everything was still fragile, experimental, and deeply local.

The sanctuary you see today was built in the 19th century to protect what is presented as the original tugurio site. That architectural choice matters: instead of replacing the humble core with something “better,” the sanctuary is designed as a protective wrapper around simplicity, signalling that the spiritual point is the smallness, not the monument.

This also makes Rivotorto a valuable counterbalance within Assisi. After the artistic and pilgrimage intensity of San Francesco, Rivotorto shifts the emphasis to origins, community, and the practical realities of early Franciscan life-where the story reads less like legend and more like lived routine.

Things to See and Do in the Santuario di Rivotorto

The Sacro Tugurio is the centrepiece. Step inside slowly, and notice the contrast between the larger church space and the tight, shelter-like feel of the hovel; it’s the simplest way to understand why this place hits differently from Assisi’s major interiors.

Look for the stone inscription at the entrance and the remaining fragments of the small stone structures associated with the early fraternity. Even if you’re not religious, these details give the visit narrative structure: you are not just in a church, you are following a specific “beginnings” storyline written into the building.

If you have time and want to keep the mood, pair the sanctuary with the nearby Assisi War Cemetery. It's a quiet, reflective add-on that turns the area into a broader contemplative circuit rather than a single stop.

How to Get to the Santuario di Rivotorto

The nearest airport is Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi (PEG), with Rome Fiumicino (FCO) a common alternative for wider international connections. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Assisi on Booking.com.

By train, arrive at Assisi station (Santa Maria degli Angeli) and continue by local bus or taxi toward Rivotorto; the sanctuary is close enough to fit easily into a half-day without needing a car. Use Omnio to easily compare schedules, book train tickets, and find the best prices all in one place for a hassle-free journey across Italy.

Local buses run between Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rivotorto, and Assisi, making this one of the easier “outside the walls” Franciscan sites to visit without arranging a tour.

If you're driving, the approach is straightforward via the main road south of Assisi and there is parking around the sanctuary area, which makes it an easy add-on between Santa Maria degli Angeli and the historic centre. If you are looking to rent a car in Italy I recommend having a look at Discover Cars, first, as they compare prices and review multiple car rental agencies for you.

Practical Tips on Visiting the Santuario di Rivotorto

Entrance fee: Free.
Opening hours: Daily: 07:00–19:30.
Official website: https://santuariorivotortoassisi.org/
Best time to visit: Late morning or mid-afternoon, when you can visit calmly and still have time to connect it with Santa Maria degli Angeli or the historic centre.
How long to spend: 30-60 minutes for the sanctuary, longer if you’re moving slowly or adding the war cemetery nearby.
Accessibility: Generally easier than many Assisi hill-town stops, but expect some steps and uneven surfaces depending on which areas are open.
Facilities: Limited on-site; plan cafés, restrooms, and longer breaks around Santa Maria degli Angeli or central Assisi.

Where to Stay Close to the Santuario di Rivotorto

For the easiest access to Rivotorto and the best transport links (flat walking, train station, and bus connections), base yourself in Santa Maria degli Angeli; for classic Assisi atmosphere and evening strolls, stay inside the historic centre and visit Rivotorto as a short side trip.

If you want a practical base close to the Porziuncola and well positioned for Rivotorto, choose Domus Pacis Assisi. For a comfortable mid-range option with simple logistics and parking, TH Assisi - Hotel Cenacolo is a strong choice. If you prefer a straightforward, good-value stay that works well for a Franciscan-sites itinerary, consider Hotel Frate Sole.

Is the Santuario di Rivotorto Worth Visiting?

Yes, especially if you want an Assisi trip that feels complete rather than purely iconic. Rivotorto gives you a tangible sense of the Franciscan story at ground level-community, humility, and the practical beginnings-without the visual intensity and crowds of the main basilica complex.

Honest pivot: if you have only a few hours in Assisi and your priority is major art (frescoes) and the core historic-centre walk, you can skip Rivotorto and still feel satisfied. It becomes “worth it” when you have half a day to deepen the Franciscan narrative or when you're staying in Santa Maria degli Angeli and want a meaningful nearby visit.

What Other Travellers Say...

4.7 (779)

Christine Langmayr

3 years ago

"The vibration in the place is amazing. The pure Franciscan vibration is here and the presence of Saint Francis can be tangibly felt. This is where helived in peace with his brothers and communed with God and nature. He served the lepers and included them in his community. There is so much love in this church that we didn't want to leave. There is a replica of Sait Francis's body lying in the little house he built with his Friars. The house is accessible, with a nice Franciscan church built over it. Please come and visit, it is so beautiful and peaceful!..."

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Henry Gomez

2 months ago

"A must place to visit if interested in San Francesco's story"

Je ie Chancey

6 months ago

"No photos allowed inside, but well worth the visit."

For Different Travelers

Families with Kids

This visit works best for families when you frame it as a simple story: a big church protecting a tiny shelter where a group of friends once lived and planned their way of life. The tugurio gives kids something concrete to look at and imagine, which is often more engaging than another large interior full of details they can’t easily contextualise.

Keep the visit short and purposeful. Combine it with a quick walk or a treat stop in Santa Maria degli Angeli, and it becomes a smooth, low-friction part of the day rather than a “serious” church visit that tests attention spans.

Couples & Romantic Getaways

Rivotorto suits couples who want quiet, reflective Assisi rather than only headline sights. The sanctuary has a calm emotional tone and a sense of intimacy that comes from simplicity-less spectacle, more atmosphere.

It also pairs well with a slower-paced day: start in Santa Maria degli Angeli, visit Rivotorto, then go up to Assisi for a late afternoon walk and dinner. That rhythm feels balanced and avoids the common mistake of stacking only major interiors back-to-back.

Budget Travelers

This is excellent value because it's typically free and easy to reach from Santa Maria degli Angeli by bus, taxi, or a short drive. It adds depth to an Assisi itinerary without pushing you toward paid museums or ticketed experiences.

It also helps you build a more efficient route. If you're staying near the station, you can cover Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rivotorto, and a central Assisi loop in one day with minimal transport costs and no wasted backtracking.

FAQs for Visiting Santuario di Rivotorto

Getting There

It’s in Rivotorto, a few kilometres south of Assisi on the route toward Foligno, and it’s easy to visit from Santa Maria degli Angeli. It works well as a short side trip rather than a full-day destination.

Start from Santa Maria degli Angeli (near the train station) and use local bus connections or a short taxi ride to Rivotorto. Once you arrive, the area is straightforward to navigate on foot.

It can be, depending on your comfort with distance and roadside walking, but it’s usually more pleasant to use a quick bus or taxi and save your walking energy for Assisi’s hill streets.

Tickets & Entry

For an individual visit, usually not. If you are travelling with a group or want a guided context, checking the sanctuary’s current notices can help you avoid timing issues.

It functions primarily as a place of worship and pilgrimage, with the tugurio presented as a devotional and historical focal point. The atmosphere is generally quieter and more reflective than a museum-style visit.

Visiting Experience

Go directly to the tugurio area, read the key inscription, and take a slow lap that lets you feel the contrast between the protective sanctuary and the humble core. That short sequence captures the point of the visit.

Yes, if you’re interested in origins stories and places that explain how movements start in ordinary conditions. The appeal is historical and human-scale as much as devotional.

Tours, Context & Itineraries

It pairs naturally with Santa Maria degli Angeli (Porziuncola) for a coherent “early Franciscan” half-day. After that, you can head into Assisi’s historic centre for the larger basilica context.

Do Santa Maria degli Angeli and Rivotorto in the morning (or early afternoon), then go up to Assisi for the historic centre and the major basilica complex. It’s a clean division between “origins” and “monuments.”

Photography

It’s better for atmospheric, respectful images than dramatic architecture shots. If you do take photos, keep them discreet and avoid turning the tugurio space into a staged backdrop.

Rules can vary by area and by religious services, so follow posted guidance and avoid flash. If in doubt, treat it like an active sanctuary rather than a museum.

Accessibility & Facilities

Generally yes, because it’s on flatter ground outside the hill-town core. However, specific interior areas can still involve steps, so plan a selective visit if you need fully level access.

Services are more reliable in Santa Maria degli Angeli than right at the sanctuary area. Plan breaks around Piazza Porziuncola if you want the easiest logistics.

Safety & Timing

Yes, and late afternoon often suits the mood of the site. Just keep an eye on closing times and aim to arrive with enough margin for an unhurried visit.

Nearby Attractions to the Santuario di Rivotorto

Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Porziuncola): The major pilgrimage basilica on the valley floor, ideal to combine with Rivotorto in the same half-day.
Assisi War Cemetery: A quiet Commonwealth cemetery nearby, well suited to a reflective stop after the sanctuary.
Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi: Assisi's essential complex for frescoes, pilgrimage atmosphere, and the town's biggest artistic landmark.
Chiesa di San Damiano: A serene site among olive groves where key Franciscan stories unfold, and a strong contrast to the bustle of the centre.
Piazza del Comune and the Temple of Minerva: The civic heart of Assisi, perfect for anchoring your old-town walk with cafés and layered history.

The Santuario del Sacro Tugurio di Rivotorto appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Assisi!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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