Editing Greccio (section)

==Main sights==

===Sanctuary of Greccio===
{{main|Sanctuary of Greccio}}
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 | footer = The [[Sanctuary of Greccio]]
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[[File:Chapel of the First Live Nativity.jpg|thumb|The chapel of the first living nativity scene located in the [[Sanctuary of Greccio]]]]
The [[Sanctuary of Greccio|Hermitage of Greccio Sanctuary]] ({{langx|it|Santuario Eremo di Greccio}}) is one of the four shrines erected by [[Francis of Assisi|Saint Francis of Assisi]] in the [[Rieti Valley|Sacred Valley]], along with the Sanctuary of Fonte Colombo, the Sanctuary of the Forest, and the convent of [[Poggio Bustone]]. Francis presented the first living [[Nativity scene]] in a nearby cave in December 1223.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/>

Inside there are frescoes modern and original chapel of the saint carved in the rock.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/> Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby, hay upon which to lay him, an ox, and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/>

At the appointed time, the townspeople arrived carrying torches and candles. One of the friars began celebrating Mass while Francis himself gave the sermon.<ref name="santuario-francescano"/> His biographer, [[Thomas of Celano]], recalls that Francis stood before the manger, overwhelmed with love and filled with a wonderful happiness. For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus. The Sanctuary of Greccio may be visited.<ref name="viadifrancescolazio"/>

===Other architectures===
[[File:La Collegiata.jpg|thumb|The church of San Michele Archangel]]

The medieval town that preserves part of the pavement of the old castle (11th century) and three of the six towers.<ref name="comune.greccio"/> The parish church of San Michele Archangel is located next to the bell tower on top of a flight of steps and dates back to the 11th century.<ref name="chiesa-parrocchiale">{{cite web|url=https://comune.greccio.ri.it/contenuti/45623/chiesa-parrocchiale-s-michele-arcangelo|title=CHIESA PARROCCHIALE di SAN MICHELE ARCANGELO|access-date=9 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> The church was built over a part of the castle. The church was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The church as a [[Nave]] and side chapels. Two of the side chapels, dedicated to [[St. Anthony of Padua]] and Our Lady Immaculate have paintings and frescoes of the 15th and 16th century,<ref name="chiesa-parrocchiale"/> and stucco decorations created in 1636.<ref name="e-borghi"/> Remarkable from an artistic point of view are the baptismal font, the main altar, a gilded silver chalice and a monstrance, all dating back to the 16th century.<ref name="e-borghi"/> In the square, there is the Church of Santa Maria del Giglio from the 14th century.<ref name="chiesa-santa-maria-giglio">{{cite web|url=https://comune.greccio.ri.it/contenuti/1715373/chiesa-santa-maria-giglio|title=CHIESA della MADONNA DEL GIGLIO|access-date=9 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> This church also is a single aisle or Nave. It has a central altar and two side altars, stucco Roman school with influences of Carlo Fontana, and tempera paintings dated to the early 15th century.<ref name="e-borghi"/> The high altar preserves, a fresco, which represents the Virgin and Child with Angels.<ref name="chiesa-santa-maria-giglio"/>

===Museums===
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 |footer = Some of the nativity scenes exhibited at the International Museum of the Crib of Greccio
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The town contains the ruined church of Santa Maria, now restored as the International Museum of the Crib,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.touringclub.it/destinazione/localita/museo/329881/museo-internazionale-del-presepe-di-greccio-greccio|title=Museo Internazionale del Presepe di Greccio|access-date=9 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> the remains of the ancient towers, one of the entrance doors, the chapel dedicated to St. Francis, with the stone on which he used to preach, and the place where, according to tradition, was launched firebrand who made public the place designated for the construction of the Sanctuary. Inside the International Museum of the Crib there are nativity scenes from all the cultures of the world on display; outside it there is a statue of Saint Francis {{convert|5|m|ft}} high.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.visitgreccio.com/attrazione/il-museo-dei-presepi|title=Museo del Presepe di Greccio|publisher=Visit Greccio - Vieni a scoprire Greccio|access-date=6 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216174946/http://www.visitgreccio.com/attrazione/il-museo-dei-presepi|archive-date=16 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Natural areas===
[[File:Greccio village.JPG|thumb|The town seen from the [[Sanctuary of Greccio]]]]

Greccio is surrounded by oak and elm forests, on which Mount Lacerone ({{convert|1204|m|ft|disp=or}}) stands out and gives a view of the entire [[Rieti Valley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lazioturismo.it/asp/scheda_archeo.asp?id=138|title=CONVENTO-SANTUARIO DI GRECCIO (Valle Reatina)|access-date=9 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> Here, St. Francis of Assisi, would retire in prayer and meditation in a hut protected by two [[hornbeam]] plants. In this same place, in 1712, by popular demand, it was built a memorial chapel dedicated to him, "the chapel".<ref name="NATURA - LA CAPPELLETTA">{{cite web|url=https://comune.greccio.ri.it/contenuti/45629/natura-cappelletta|title=NATURA - "LA CAPPELLETTA"|access-date=9 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> Here Saint Francis of Assisi used to retreat in prayer and meditation, in a hut protected by two hornbeam trees. On the top stands "la Cappelletta", a small chapel built in 1792 in his memory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mondimedievali.net/Castelli/Lazio/rieti/provincia000.htm|title=TUTTE LE FORTIFICAZIONI DELLA PROVINCIA DI RIETI|access-date=10 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="NATURA - LA CAPPELLETTA"/>