Basilica di San Francesco

The first church was built in the 5th century by Bishop Neon, dedicated to the Apostles. It was rebuilt in the 9th-10th centuries and in the 13th century passed to the Franciscan friars, who gave it its present name. In 1321 Dante's funeral was held here, and his tomb is right next door.

The interior has three aisles with columns of Greek marble and a handsome wooden truss ceiling. An ancient sarcophagus has been reused beneath the high altar, which according to tradition held the relics of Saint Liberius. Outside, the Romanesque brick bell tower is one of the landmarks of Piazza San Francesco.

The surprise lies beneath the altar: a small 10th-century crypt that has ended up below water level due to the slow subsidence of the ground. The mosaic floor is submerged, and goldfish swim inside. You look at it through a small window: put in a coin and the light comes on.

Admission is free. It forms part of the Zona del Silenzio together with Dante's Tomb, the Quadrarco di Braccioforte and the Museo Dante: you can see everything in half an hour.