Chiesa Nuova (New Church), Assisi

This church sprung up in 1615, marking the spot believed to be where Saint Francis took his first breath, in the house of Pietro di Bernardone. Dubbed the “New Church” back then, it was the swan song of Assisi's church-building spree. The impetus? Spanish Vicar General Antonio de Trejo's heartache at seeing Saint Francis's humble birthplace fall into disrepair during his 1613 Assisi jaunt. Thanks to some royal backing from Spain and a princely sum of 6,000 ducats, the dream became reality.

Pope Paul V laid the cornerstone in a grand ceremony, parading it from San Rufino Cathedral to the construction site in 1615. Crafted in late Renaissance style, the church boasts a lofty dome, its ceiling divided into coffers, crowned with a lantern and drum.

Inside, frescoes from the 17th century bedeck the walls, but the cherry on top? The high altar perched atop Saint Francis's very room, where visitors can also peek into the shop where he peddled his wares and the staircase where he was once held captive by his own father. Legend has it, it was here that Francis made his life-altering decision to forsake earthly riches.

The friary next door doubles as a museum and home to an impressive Franciscan library, brimming with ancient codices and rare tomes.