The building of the Church of San Francesco in Palena dates back to the 14th century, according to the catalogue of Franciscan churches called " Provinciale vetustissimum ", indeed a local tradition attributes the foundation at San Francesco of Assisi himself. Certainly the Church was modified in the Interior between the 18th and the 19th century, with insertions of late Baroque style. The Church is currently under a restoration to repair the damages caused by the earthquake of 1984.
The Church is preceded by a staircase which occupies the entire width of the facade. The facade is divided vertically into two levels, each of which is framed by pilasters. At the bottom there are Doric capitals, while the top there are Ionic ones. Between the two levels of the façade there is a projecting stucco cornice. The tympanum has a curved shape with floral motifs. The portal of access to the Church is flanked by a pair of pilasters supporting a tympanum with curved broken perimeter, at its centre lies an inscription. Above the portal there an arch window surmounted by a cornice. The gable roof, leads an octagonal tambour with splayed windows to the rear. Always in the apsidal area stands the Bell Tower, built in stone with round openings in the belfry. Inside the Church is a single nave decorated in typical Baroque style. On the vault a fresco represents the death of Virgin Mary. The high altar, framed by Solomonic columns, is flanked by the statues of two biblical Kings : Solomon and David. In the side altars there are paintings of the eighteenth century.