Key to Umbria: Assisi

Ospedale della Misericordia (1267) and

Monte Frumentario (1634)

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Ospedale della Misericordia (1267)
The Consoli della Mercanzia and the Rettori delle Arti del Comune, two of the guilds of Assisi, established this hospital, which was one of the first public hospitals in Italy. The huge scale of the building can be appreciated from Via Fontebella behind it. (The fountain in question, which is also known as Fonte Marcella, can be seen to the left in this photograph).
The Monte Frumentario (see below) moved here in 1746. The complex was converted into a theatre in 1877 and then had a variety of other uses. It was badly damaged in the earthquake of 1997 and its subsequent restoration was completed in 2009.
Portico

The portico in Via San Francesco is made up of seven arches supported by elegant columns. Its back wall was originally covered by frescoes (13th century) that are attributed to the Maestro di Farneto.

The surviving fragments, which have been recently restored, depict (from left to right);
the stigmatisation of St Francis;
the Virgin Annunciate; and
Christ enthroned (with His arm and right side visible to the right of the surviving fragment), with standing figures of the Apostles (parts of three of which survive on the left).
Interior
The Palazzo del Monte Frumentario is not usually open to the public. Dottoressa Rita Rocconi kindly provided the following photographs, which were taken on 20th June 2009 during a special opening that was organised by Festa a Palazzo to mark the completion of the recent restoration of the palace.
The room on the ground floor, which is the oldest in the complex, was the venue of a choral concert by Commedia Armonica of Assisi.

This room on the first floor is entered from the main portal in Via San Francesco.

Monte Frumentario (1634)
Cardinal Antonio Barberini (the elder of the two cardinals of this name, who was the brother of Pope Urban VIII) founded the Monte Frumentario di Assisi in 1634. This institution lent seed to poor farmers that could be paid for after the harvest.
The institution was originally located at what is now number 10 Via San Rufino. The architrave of the door has a relief of a bee (the symbol of the Barberini) at each corner.

In 1746, Bishop Ottavio Ringhieri transferred the establishment to Via San Francesco, where it occupied the Ospedale della Misericordia.

Three memorials of the original foundation were also transferred at this time:
two representations of the arms of Cardinal Barberini (with his cardinal’s hat above a shield on which the Franciscan arms appear above the Barberini bees):
one on the outside of the portico; and
one on the back wall; and
an inscription, also on the back wall of the portico, which commemorates Antonio Barberini as Cardinal of Sant’ Onofrio and records the date 1634.