The Catholic Church of San Francesco d'Assisi in Matera is located in the central square that bears his name, in the heart of the city of Matera. Its origin dates back to a small underground church carved into the rock, visible through a trap door in the chapel which houses a fresco of Pope Urban II, dating back to 1093. The Church, which has undergone numerous modifications over the centuries, has a Baroque-style façade and an interior with a single nave with several side chapels.
The Church of San Francesco d'Assisi is also an important example of religious architecture in the city of Matera, UNESCO World Heritage site, and part of Rupestrian Churches of Matera. There are up to 166 churches called rupestri because carved into the rock.