Siena Cathedral (Duomo)
Siena Cathedral (Duomo) features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Siena. Give it roughly ~90 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Siena Siena guide
About Siena Cathedral (Duomo)
A masterpiece of Italian Gothic-Romanesque architecture, Siena Cathedral is famous for its alternating black and white marble stripes, Nicola Pisano's sculpted pulpit (1265-68), and its extraordinary floor of 56 inlaid marble panels depicting scenes from history and myth.
Siena Cathedral is one of the supreme works of Italian Gothic-Romanesque architecture, begun in the mid-thirteenth century and essentially complete by the early fourteenth, though embellishments continued for centuries. The exterior alternates bands of black and white marble, carried through into the interior columns and floor, creating a visual effect of extraordinary vibrancy. The lower portion of the façade, with its three elaborate portal sculptures, was designed by Giovanni Pisano.
The interior is one of the richest in Italy. Nicola Pisano's octagonal marble pulpit (1265–68) is one of the greatest works of medieval Italian sculpture, preceding and inspiring his son Giovanni's pulpit in the Pisa Cathedral. The floor consists of 56 panels of inlaid and graffito marble depicting historical, allegorical, and scriptural scenes, commissioned from dozens of artists over four centuries (1369 through to the 18th century), it is covered for much of the year to preserve it, and exposed fully only in August.
The Piccolomini Library, accessible from the left nave, contains ten luminous frescoes by Pinturicchio (1502–07) depicting the life of Pope Pius II.
Did you know? Siena's famous Cathedral expansion project of the 1330s would have made it the largest church in the world, an enormous new nave was begun, using the existing Cathedral as its transept. But the Black Death of 1348 killed the workforce and the project was abandoned; the roofless walls of the unfinished nave (the 'Facciatone') can still be seen beside the Cathedral.
How long is a visit to Siena Cathedral (Duomo)?
Set aside roughly ~90 min for Siena Cathedral (Duomo). That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Siena Cathedral (Duomo) worth your time?
Siena Cathedral (Duomo) is among the 20 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Siena, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Siena
Hear the story of Siena Cathedral (Duomo)
Preview the Siena tour free in the Gingerguide app.