INDEX

 

This is a further contribution to the websites on European cathedrals. The two main photographic contributors to this site are Francesco Bini [FB] and ‘Le Monde1’ [LM] who have willingly supplied their excellent photographs. Other contributions have come from accredited photos under the Creative License scheme, CCL, acknowledged in the text. In this category, Elliot Brown [EB] and José Luiz Bernades Ribeiro [JLBR] have contributed significant numbers of photos. There are two other main sources here: Wikipedia Commons [WC] and to a lesser extent, Google Maps [GM]. Further details about our contributors are given in the Conclusion.

We notice from the satellite image that the axis of Siena Cathedral runs from Northeast to Southwest with the sanctuary at the northwest end. We follow our liturgical convention of taking the sanctuary to lie in an Easterly direction (capital E), and the other directions accordingly. Siena Cathedral is cruciform in shape with a large dome at the crossing. A tall bell tower stands close by. The transepts are shallow but transversely wide (in the East-West direction) with attached chapels at the ends. On the South side we can see the remains of a large extension.

We shall begin our exploration at the attractive West façade and circumnavigate the Cathedral in an anticlockwise direction, before entering through a West door. We shall later find that this Cathedral also has an old crypt and a large, ornate (but separate) baptistry.

A plan and brief history of this Cathedral is given below. However, if you want to begin your tour of the Cathedral immediately, tap / click on START . You can also access intermediate points in the tour by a tap / click on the following links:

 

A01 Exterior : START

B01 Nave

C01 Chapels and Library

D01 Crossing and Transepts

E01 Sanctuary

F01 Crypt

G01 Baptistry

Conclusion

PLAN

 

Siena’s cathedral is usually just referred to as Siena Cathedral, but it also carries the title ‘Santa Maria Assunta’ – St Mary of the Assumption.

After exploring the exterior of the Cathedral, we enter the nave through the West door (bottom). We next explore the Chigi Chapel, the Chapel of John the Baptist and the magnificent Piccolomini Library. A look at the crossing and transepts, and then through to the sanctuary with its high altar. Back outside we turn South and walk through the arch by the Cathedral Museum [Steps to Baptistery]. Right here is an entry to the crypt with its many frescoes. Finally we descend the many steps to the ‘Entrance to the Baptistery’ – a space beneath the sanctuary. All the Cathedral spaces are intricately decorated with overloads of design and colour.

 

NOTE ON MAGNIFYING IMAGES

With this website format the images are large enough for most purposes. If there is a need for greater magnification of an image, go to the identical photo on

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulscottinfo/albums

and use Command - + (Mac) or Windows - + (Windows).