St. Francis Basilica at Assisi (Italy) and the Detection of Medieval Geometric Design, Ratios and Modulation

摘要

Using digital measurement on the thirteenth century double church of St. Francis in Assisi (Italy) revealed a modulated design canon involving symbolic geometries and proportional arithmetic. The author identifies the simulacrum of the biblical temple of King Solomon and the integration of an exclusive sepulchral sphere geometry with several design components copied from both Christian mother churches: the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Old St. Peter's in Rome. St. Francis Church is the result of a double mission, translated in two different architectural languages: an Umbrian Romanesque Lower Church for devotion of the Saint's tomb, and an Early Gothic, French inspired, Upper Church for use by the Roman Pope and the Convent. The geometry and design canon are both instruments for communication and education addressed to the medieval community. This analysis aims to contribute to architectural design, construction history and digital measurement applications.