Siena's Zebra-Striped Cathedral

Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta

Il Campo, Siena's central piazza
with its beautiful
14th century campanile

Siena's Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta (Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption) has got to be one of Italy's most beautiful churches. Its gorgeous exterior is sheathed with white marble, accented with dark green marble stripes. 

Striped marble-clad churches are characteristic of the Italian Gothic style that was popular in the 13th century when Siena's Duomo was built. 

Zebra striped columns made of black and white marble dominate the cathedral's interior. Nestled behind all those overwhelming striped columns is the cathedral's high altar, a marble birthday cake topped by a giant bronze ciborium (a covered cup that holds eucharistic hosts) and four bronze angels, each holding a tall candle. More bronze angels attached to columns around the altar also hold tall candles. Angels, angels everywhere in this cathedral. And STRIPES!

Pisano's marble pulpit

The Duomo's marble pulpit, sculpted in the 1260s by Nicola Pisano and his assistants, looks like a mini-carousel. Lions and lionesses prance around the base, supporting columns on their backs. The columns are topped by statues of the theological and cardinal virtues, personified. Every inch of the solid marble rail at the top of the pulpit is packed with sculpted animals and people, illustrating the Life of Christ, Salvation, and The Last Judgement. Information overload in marble.

Like everything else in Siena's Duomo, it's over-the-top overdone…and breathtakingly beautiful.










When your neck gets tired from gazing up at the cathedral's spectacular columns, frescoes, stained glass windows, and starry turquoise ceilings, you can give it a break and check out the floor.

The She-Wolf in this floor panel represents Siena, surrounded by symbols of other central Italian cities

detail from The Story of Fortune floor panel

Even the FLOOR in this amazing church is beautiful.  56 marble mosaic panels cover the entire surface. They were created over a 200+ year time span, by about 40 artists. The panels are in all shapes and sizes, illustrating scenes from the bible, historical events, and allegories. For most of the year much 
of the Duomo's floor is covered, to protect the 
panels. Lucky for me, I visited Siena in October 
when the floor mosaics were uncovered.

Pinturicchio's Canonization of St. Catherine of Siena,
a scene from the life of Pius II

Through a doorway to the left of the high altar I entered the Piccolomini Library, which was commissioned in 1492 to house the illuminated manuscript collection of one of Siena's favorite sons, Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini (a.k.a. Pope Pius II). Never mind that the Pope's collection never made it to the Duomo…the real treasure in this room is the series of colorful frescoes painted by Pinturicchio, an Italian Renaissance painter from Perugia. The story of Pius II's life is the subject of 10 beautiful wall paintings. Pinturicchio covered the ceiling of this fantastic room with painted panels of mythological subjects, bordered with geometric designs. 

Pinturicchio also designed one of the Duomo's most impressive mosaic floor panels, The Story of Fortune. 

The Piccolomini Library

The lavish splendor of Siena's cathedral is a reminder of the wealth and power that was concentrated in the Italian Papal States when the Duomo was built. Surrounded by all this costly beauty, you might forget that this is a church, not a royal palace. 

On my way out of the Piccolomini Library I saw a woman kneeling in prayer on those hard marble floors. She hadn't
forgotten the true purpose of this magnificent building.