Even without the churches, extraordinary frescoes and associations with St Francis, it would be worth coming to Assisi simply to witness a sunset. As the sun sinks, the medieval centre of Assisi, one of the best preserved in the world, is bathed in a warm glow. Founded by the Umbrians, Assisi was prominent during the Roman era, but the two achieved its greatest fame and importance during the ear of the communes in the Middle Ages. By the time the Basilica of San Francesco was founded in the 13th century, Assisi, built using the reddish stone of Monte Subasio to which the two owes its distinctive colouration, had already shape. In the 14th century, when Assisi came under papal rule, two fortresses were built. Over the following centuries, the city changed little. Even today, the town has a timeless fascination.