Established as one of the first hospitals in all of Italy, the Palazzo del Monte Frumentario was built in 1267 outside the first circle of Roman city walls, on the downhill side of the road that still leads to the Basilica of Saint Francis.
The building has three floors and overlooks Via Fontebella, Vicolo degli Esposti and Via San Francesco. The main entrance on Via San Francesco is in a portico of seven segmental arches, supported by small columns with Byzantine capitals sculpted by Venetian stonecutters. The entrance façade is decorated with frescoes painted by an Umbrian follower of Giotto (ca. 1300). Entering the building, you come to a large hall decorated with neo-Gothic frescoes and lit by a large window facing the valley.
The title of “Monte Frumentario” (“grain loaning bank”) dates back to 1746, when Bishop Ottavio Ringhieri transferred here the seat of the Monte Frumentario Barberini, a religious charity institution founded in 1634 by Cardinal Antonio Barberini. Unlike the Mount of Piety charity, the Monte Frumentario offered loans of grain and other agricultural products.
The building has been used for a variety of purposes, always involving cultural and entertainment activities. Following significant restoration work in 2010, it has been used as an exhibition space, considered one of the most entrancing in Umbria.
Audio guide: no
Guided tours: no
Restrooms: yes
Infopoint: no
Shops: no
Refreshment points: no
Cloakroom: yes
Accessibility: accessible
Hours:
Open for temporary exhibitions and events.
Admission: depends on the event.
Via San Francesco, 5A – Vicolo degli Esposti, 4 – Via Fontebella
Palazzo Monte Frumentario is located at the beginning of Via San Francesco, in the heart of the historic center.
On foot: the building is easily reached on foot from any part of town.
By bus: 600 meters from the Line C stop San Francesco, in Piazza Giovanni Paolo II; 230 meters from the Line A-B stop, Via Fontebella.
By car: only authorized vehicles can enter the historic center of Assisi. The nearest car park is the Giovanni Paolo II pay lot.
