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| Siena Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption | |
| Duomo di Siena (Italian) | |
| |
 Siena Cathedral | |
 Siena Cathedral | |
| 43°19′04″N11°19′44″E / 43.3177°N 11.3290°E /43.3177; 11.3290 | |
| Location | Siena,Tuscany |
| Country | Italy |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| Website | operaduomo.siena.it |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Consecrated | 1215 |
| Architecture | |
| Architects |
|
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Italian Gothic,Romanesque,Classical |
| Groundbreaking | 1196 |
| Completed | 1348 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 89.4 metres (293 ft) |
| Height | 77 metres (253 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Antonio Buoncristiani |
| Provost | Roberto Pialli |
| Archdeacon | Giovanni Soldani |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv |
| Designated | 1995(19thsession) |
| Part of | Historic Centre of Siena |
| Reference no. | 717 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
Siena Cathedral (Italian:Duomo di Siena) is a medieval church inSiena, Italy, dedicated from its earliest days as aRoman Catholic Marian church, and now dedicated to theAssumption of Mary.
Since the early 13th century the Siena Cathedral has been an important part of the Sienese identity. One way to see this is the continuous building projects constantly surrounding the cathedral from its earliest days, aiming at reinforcing and expanding this site. Indeed, it was the community of citizens that continually advocated for the cathedral to become one of the largest churches in Europe.[1] For centuries the Cathedral acted as more than just a place of worship - it was the center of the city and a place to express civic pride.[1]
The cathedral was designed and built between 1215 and 1263 on the site of an earlier structure. It has the form of aLatin cross with a slightly projectingtransept, adome and abell tower. The dome, completed in 1264, rises from ahexagonal base with supporting columns. Thelantern atop the dome was added byGian Lorenzo Bernini. The bell tower has six bells, with the oldest cast in 1149. The nave is separated from the two aisles by semicircular arches. The exterior and interior are constructed of white and greenish-black marble in alternating stripes, with the addition of red marble on the façade. Black and white are the symbolic colors of Siena,etiologically linked to black and white horses of the legendary city's founders,Senius and Aschius. The finest Italian artists of that era (Nicola andGiovanni Pisano,Donatello,Pinturicchio,Lorenzo Ghiberti, andBernini) participated in completing the cathedral.
It was the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Siena, and from the 15th century that of the Archdiocese of Siena. It is now the seat of theArchdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino.
The origins of the first structure are shrouded in legend. There was a 9th-century church with thebishop's palace at the present location. In December 1058 asynod was held in this church resulting in the election ofpope Nicholas II and the deposition of theantipopeBenedict X.[2] There is a common myth that the cathedral was consecrated in 1179, but there is little evidence to support this idea. There is evidence that the consecration ceremony occurred on November 18, according to theOrdo Officiorum Ecclesiae senensis, but without reference to a specific year.[2]
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In 1196, the cathedral masons’guild, theOpera di Santa Maria, was put in charge of the construction of a new cathedral. By 1215 there were already daily masses said in the new church. Beginning in 1226, city records show that black and white marble blocks were being transported to the cathedral, presumably to be used for the facade and bell tower.[1] These records also note the payment of stone masons to work with the marble blocks.[3] Thevaults and thetransept were constructed in 1259–1260 at the order of the committee composed of city citizens.[4] In 1259 Manuello di Ranieri and his son Parri carved the woodenchoir-stalls, which were replaced about 100 years later and have now disappeared. In 1264, Rosso Padellaio helped create the copper sphere on top of the dome. The pulpit, one of the few original works to survive today, was made between 1265–1268 byNicola Pisano and his followers.[1] This group was most likely also responsible for carving the main altar.[2] TheOpera di Santa Maria ordered stained glass for a large, round window in 1287.[1]
A second massive addition of the main body of the cathedral was planned in 1339.[1] It would have more than doubled the size of the structure by means of an entirely new nave and two aisles ranged perpendicular to the existing nave and centered on thehigh altar in thecrossing. The majority of construction was under the direction ofGiovanni di Agostino, a well-known sculptor of the time. Construction was halted by theBlack Death in 1348. Unfortunately, the halt in construction revealed the failures already present in the new structure, such as a shallow foundation and weak building materials. The project was abandoned officially in 1355, and the work never resumed. The outer walls, remains of this extension, can now be seen to the south of the Duomo, while the floors of the uncompleted nave now serve as a parking lot and museum. Though unfinished, the remains are a testament to Sienese power, ambition, and artistic achievement. One of the walls can be climbed by narrow stairs for a high view of the city. The bell tower is one of the only modern aspects dated before 1215, built between the nave and south transept.[2]
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Work on the westfaçade began around 1284.[5] Fabricated withpolychrome marble, the construction was overseen byGiovanni Pisano whose designs on the Duomo's façade and the pulpit were influenced by his fatherNicola Pisano.[6] Built in Tuscan Romanesque style it emphasizes a horizontal unity of the area around the portals at the expense of the vertical bay divisions. The three portals, surmounted bylunettes, are based on Giovanni Pisano's original designs, as are much of the sculpture and orientation surrounding the entrances.[5] The areas around and above the doors, as well as the columns between the portals, are richly decorated with acanthus scrolls, allegorical figures and biblical scenes. The figures above the portals, many of whom were Old Testament prophets, were carved with exaggerated poses and features, to enable them to be seen from far away.[4]
Giovanni Pisano abruptly left Siena in about 1296 reportedly over creative differences with the Opera del Duomo,[7] the group that oversaw the construction and maintenance of the Siena cathedrals. Pisano's lower façade was continued under the direction of Camaino di Crescentino, but a number of changes were made to the original plan. These included raising the façade due to the raising of thenave of the church and the installation of a largerrose window based on designs byDuccio di Buoninsegna and commissioned by the city of Siena. Work on the west façade came to an sudden end in 1317 when the Opera del Duomo redirected all efforts to the east façade.[4]
There is debate as to when the upper façade was completed. Most scholars agree that it was finished sometime between 1360 and 1370, though when it began again is not known. Pisano's plans for the façade continued to be used with some adaptations under the direction ofGiovanni di Cecco. Di Cecco preferred more elaborate designs, most likely inspired by theOrvieto Cathedral. The façade needed to be much higher than foreseen as the nave had, once again, been raised.[2]
Di Cecco's more elaborate design scheme, heavily influenced byFrench Gothic architecture caused the apparent division of the upper portion of the cathedral. Most noticeably thepinnacles of the upper portion do not continue from the columns flanking the central portal as they normally would in such cathedrals. Instead, they are substantially offset, resulting in a vertical discontinuity which is uncommon in cathedrals of the time as it can lead to structural weakness. To adjust for this imbalance, the towers on each side of the cathedral were opened by adding windows, reducing the weight they needed to support. The upper portion also features heavy Gothic decoration, a marked contrast to the simple geometric designed common to Tuscan Romanesque architecture.[4]
While most of the sculpture decorating the lower level of the lavish façade was sculpted by Giovanni Pisano and assistants depicting prophets, philosophers and apostles, the more Gothic statuary adorning the upper portion—including the half-length statues of the patriarchs in the niches around the rose window—are of later, unattributed, sculptors. Almost all the statuary adorning the cathedral today are copies. The originals are kept in the Crypt of the Statues in theMuseo dell'Opera del Duomo.[2]
Three largemosaics on the gables of the façade were assembled inVenice in 1878. The large central mosaic, theCoronation of the Virgin, is byLuigi Mussini. The smaller mosaics on each side,Nativity of Jesus andPresentation of Mary in the Temple, were byAlessandro Franchi.[2]
The bronze central door is a recent addition to the cathedral, replacing the original wooden one. The large door, known as thePorta della Riconoscenza, was commissioned in 1946 near the end of the German occupation of Siena.[8] Sculpted byVico Consorti and cast by Enrico Manfrini, the scenes on the door represent the Glorification of the Virgin, Siena's patron saint.[2]
On the left corner pier of the façade is a 14th-century inscription marking the grave of Giovanni Pisano. Next to the façade stands a column with a statue of theContrade Lupa, a wolf breast-feedingRomulus and Remus. According to local legendSenius and Aschius, sons of Remus and founders of Siena, left Rome with the statue, stolen from the Temple of Apollo in Rome.[4]
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In the interior the pictorial effect of the black and white marble stripes on the walls and columns strikes the eye. Black and white are the colours of the civiccoat of arms of Siena.[2] The capitals of the columns in the west bays of the nave are sculpted withallegorical busts and animals. The horizontal molding around the nave and thepresbytery contains 172 plaster busts ofpopes dating from the 15th and 16th centuries starting with St. Peter and ending withLucius III. Thespandrels of the round arches below thiscornice exhibit the busts of 36 emperors. The vaulted roof is decorated in blue with golden stars, replacingfrescos on the ceiling, while theformerets (half ribs) and thetiercerons (secondary ribs) are adorned with richly elaborated motifs.[4]
The stained-glass round window in the choir was made in 1288 to the designs ofDuccio.[1]Divided into registers, the window depicts theAssumption of the Virgin. It is one of the earliest remaining examples of Italian stained glass.[2] in 1308–1311 Duccio created a magnificent double sided altarpiece, theMaestá, which illustrated the Madonna Enthroned. Situated directly beneath theAssumption of Mary stained glass, these two works presented a unified visual theme that emphasized the Virgin Mary, to whom the Cathedral is dedicated.[9]
The hexagonal dome is topped withBernini's gildedlantern, like a golden sun. Thetrompe-l'œil coffers were painted in blue with golden stars in the late 15th century. The colonnade in thedrum is adorned with images and statues of 42patriarchs and prophets, painted in 1481 byGuidoccio Cozzarelli andBenvenuto di Giovanni. The eightstucco statues in the spandrels beneath the dome were sculpted in 1490 by Ventura di Giuliano and Bastiano di Francesco. Originally they werepolychromed, but later, in 1704, gilded.[citation needed]
Next to the first two pillars, there are two fonts, carved byAntonio Federighi in 1462–1463. His basin for the Blessing of Holy Water was later transferred to the chapel of San Giovanni.
The marble high altar of thepresbytery was built in 1532 byBaldassarre Peruzzi. The enormous bronzeciborium is the work ofVecchietta (1467–1472, originally commissioned for the church of theHospital of Santa Maria della Scala, across the square, and brought to the cathedral in 1506). At the sides of the high altar, the uppermost angels are masterpieces byFrancesco di Giorgio Martini (1439–1502).[4]
Against the pillars of the presbytery, there are eightcandelabras in the form of angels byDomenico Beccafumi (1548–1550), He also painted the frescos, representing Saints and Paradise, on the walls in the apse. These were partially repainted in 1912. Behind the main altar is a very large paintingAssumption of the Virgin byBartolomeo Cesi in 1594.[citation needed]The presbytery keeps also the beautiful wooden choir stalls, made between 1363–1397 and extended in the 16th century.[1] Originally there were more than ninety choir stalls, arranged in double rows. The remaining 36 stalls are each crowned by the bust of a saint in a pointed niche. Their backs are decorated with carved panels, the work of Fra’ Giovanni da Verona in 1503.[citation needed]
The pulpit was commissioned by BishopFederico Visconti and sculpted inCarrara marble between the end of 1265 and November 1268 byNicola Pisano and several other artists.[4] This pulpit expresses the northern Gothic style adopted by Pisano, while still showing his classical influences. The whole message of the pulpit is concerned with thedoctrine ofSalvation and theLast Judgment. In the top level, sevenreliefs narrate theLife of Christ. The many figures in each scene with theirchiaroscuro effect, show a richness of surface, motion, and narrative. On the middle-level statuettes of the Evangelists and Prophets announce the salvation of mankind. The pulpit itself is the earliest remaining work in the cathedral. The staircase dates from 1543 and was built byBartolomeo Neroni. At the same time, the pulpit was moved from the choir to its present location.[4]
The inlaid marblemosaic floor is one of the most ornate of its kind in Italy, covering the whole floor of the cathedral. Visitors have been amazed by the stunning effect of these floors for centuries. Indeed,Giorgio Vasari, an Italian Renaissance painter and architect, claimed the floor was “the most beautiful … great and magnificent pavement ever made.”[10] This undertaking went on from the 14th to the 16th centuries, and about forty artists made their contribution, the majority of whom were Sienese.[11] The floor consists of 56 panels in different sizes. Most have a rectangular shape, but the later ones in the transept arehexagons orrhombuses. They represent thesibyls, scenes from theOld Testament,allegories,virtues, and figures from the ancient world. Most are still in their original state. The earliest scenes were made by agraffito technique: drilling tiny holes and scratching lines in the marble and filling these withbitumen or mineralpitch.[2] In a later stage black, white, green, red, and blue marbleintarsia were used. This technique of marble inlay also evolved during the years, finally resulting in a vigorous contrast of light and dark, giving it an almost modern,impressionistic composition.[2]
The uncovered floor can only be seen for a period of six to ten weeks each year, generally including the month of September. The rest of the year, the pavements near the altar are covered, and only some near the entrance may be viewed.[12]
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The nave, or central part of the church,[13] contains scenes fromclassical antiquity, which is very unusual in a church from this time period. These additions were primarily included due to the influence of two Sienese popes,Enea Silvio Piccolomini andFrancesco Tedeschini Piccolomini, who believed that classical authors and figures held knowledge that is applicable across faith traditions.[11]
At the entrance of the nave is a scene containingHermes Trismegistus, a popular figure of the fifteenth century who was seen as "the founder of human wisdom."[11] Designed byGiovanni di Stefano in 1488, this panel welcomes visitors into the church and introduces the theme of knowledge that develops throughout the nave and side aisles.[11]
The She-Wolf Suckling Romulus and Remus, orThe She-Wolf of Siena was originally created in the 1360s but heavily restored by Leopoldo Maccari in 1865. It portrays a wolf in the center surrounded by eight smaller circles, each depicting the emblem of major Italian cities.[2]
Allegory of the Mount of Wisdom was designed byPinturicchio in 1505 and completed in 1506 by Paolo Mannuci.[2] This complicated scene includes a feminine personification of Fortune who is leading a group of wise men up a rocky, dangerous path to great the female personification of Wisdom.[11]
The final panel in the nave isWheel of Fortune (completed in 1372 and restored in 1864 by Leopoldo Maccari).[2] The central image is of a wheel, where a king sits at the top and three male figures cling to the wheel. Surrounding the wheel are four figures depicting philosophers from the ancient world.[11]
The side aisles along the nave are decorated with ten panels (five in each aisle) of theSibyls.[2] Each panel contains a Sibyl that is an allegorical representation of the known world of the time, as identified by an accompanying inscription:Persian Sibyl,Hellespontine Sibyl,Eritrean Sibyl,Phrygian Sibyl,Samian Sibyl,Delphic Sibyl,Libyan Sibyl,Cimmerian Sibyl,Cumaen Sibyl, andTiburtine Sibyl.[11] The effect of these allegorical figures represent the universality of the Christian message. Each full-length Sibyl is contrasted against a black and red background, and illustrated in a variety of poses with flowing robes.[2]
The scenes in thetransepts andchancel represent biblical stories and mark the thematic transition from the scenes in the naves and aisles, which depicted figures fromclassical antiquity.[11] The biblical scenes all focus on the theme of humanity’ssalvation. In the Siena Cathedral, the chancel encompasses thecrossing, the area below the dome, extending to the altar.
The left transept contains three large panels:The Expulsion of Herod,The Slaughter of the Innocents, andThe Story of Judith.[2]The Expulsion of Herod byBenvenuto di Giovanni (1484–1485) in an incredibly intricate scene representing God’s revenge againstHerod, the persecutor of John the Baptist.The Slaughter of the Innocents byMatteo di Giovanni is one of the most awe-inspiring panels of the cathedral, and has evoked emotional responses from visitors since its creation in 1481. The panel articulates the desperation of the mothers who are trying to save their babies from the slaughter of malicious guards.The Story of Judith byFrancesco di Giorgio Martini (1473), located near the pulpit, depicts the Old Testament narrative ofJudith beheadingHolofernes, an enemy general.[11]
The majority of the panels in the chancel are grouped together in a large hexagonal portion of the pavement and depictScenes from the Lives of Elijah and Ahab.[2] Each of these scenes are either designed within a hexagonal panel or smaller rhombus-shaped panel. The upper half of these scenes (four of the seven hexagons and two of the six rhombuses) were completed from 1519–1524 byDomenico Beccafumi, who was the most renowned Sienese artist of his time. He worked on cartoons for the floor for thirty years (1518–1547) and made vast contributions to the cathedral’s pavement.[2] The lower portion wasn’t completed until 1878 byAlessandro Franchi.[11]
Beccafumi’s eight-meter long friezeMoses Striking Water from the Rock was completed in 1525.[2] The work marks a technical and stylistic shift from Beccafumi’s earlier work. Here, the artist used different tones within the same piece of marble to create figures heavily contrasted by light and shadow.[11] The subsequent section, also by Beccafumi, portraysScenes from the Life of Moses on Mount Sinai. The large panel, completed from 1525–1529, is a continuation of the previous story and employs a similar technical and stylistic method. Rather than isolating each scene within a panel, the entire panel merges the scenes together in one combined section.[11]
Next are five panels arranged horizontally:Joshua Defeats the Five Kings of the Amorites,David the Psalmist betweenDavid the Slingsman andGoliath Falling Backwards, andSamson Chastising the Philistines.[11] The scenes portraying David are credited to Domenico di Niccolò dei Cori (1413–1423), the first known artist to work on the panels. His successor, Paolo di Martino, completedJoshua Defeats the Five Kings of the Amorites andSamson Chastising the Philistines between 1424 and 1426 which contain more details than the previous panels.[2]
The final panel in the chancel, located directly in front of the altar, isAbraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac.[2] Completed in 1547 by Beccafumi, the scene contains one large panel with the story, surrounded by smaller rectangular panels of related scenes.[11]
Bordering the main altar is a geometric pattern containing five circular panels which depictMercy andThe FourCardinal Virtues (Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, and Good Government).[11] The panels date from 1406, as established by a payment made to Marchese d'Adamo and his fellow workers who executed the cartoons of Sienese painters.[2]
The right transept contains five sections of panels:The Seven Ages of Man,Religion and the Theological Virtues,The Story of Jephthah,The Death of Absalom, andEmperor Sigismund.
The Seven Ages of Man is a collection of six octagonal panels surrounding a central rectangular panel and woven together by a geometric rope-inspired pattern. They depict the stages of life a man goes through, from infancy to death. The majority of the original work byAntonio Federighi in 1457 was reconstructed in 1871.[11]
Religion and the Theological Virtues is a set of panels, depicting an allegory of religion and three personifications of theological virtues (Hope,Faith, andCharity). The original works from 1780 were replaced a century later by designs byAlessandro Franchi.[11]
The Story of Jephthah is credited toFrancesco di Giorgio Martini, and notably contains sixty characters throughout the panel. The finer details of the narrative have been lost over time.[11]
The Death of Absalom by Pietro di Tommaso del Minella (1447) narrates a group of soldiers finding King David’s sin, Absalom, hanging dead from a tree. The figures are contrasted by a foreground of red marble, and a background of black marble.[2]
In 1434 the renowned painterDomenico di Bartolo completed the panelEmperor Sigismund Enthroned. The Holy Roman EmperorSigismund was popular in Siena, because he resided there for ten months on his way to Rome for his coronation.[2]Today, the details are incredibly faded.[11]
The cathedral's valuable pieces of art includingThe Feast of Herod byDonatello, and works byBernini and the youngMichelangelo make it an extraordinary museum of Italian sculpture. TheAnnunciation between St. Ansanus and St. Margaret, a masterwork ofGothic painting bySimone Martini andLippo Memmi, decorated a side altar of the church until 1799, when it was moved to theUffizi of Florence.[4]
The funeral monument for cardinalRiccardo Petroni (1250–1314, a jurisconsult ofPope Boniface VIII) was erected between 1317 and 1318 by the Sienese sculptorTino di Camaino. He had succeeded his father as the master-builder of the Siena cathedral. The marble monument in the left transept is the earliest example of 14th-century funeral architecture. It is composed of a richly decoratedsarcophagus, held aloft on the shoulders of four statues. Above the sarcophagus, two angels draw apart a curtain, revealing the cardinal lying on his deathbed, accompanied by two guardian angels. The monument is crowned by a spiredtabernacle with statues of the Madonna and Child, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.[4]
In the pavement, in front of this monument, lies the bronze tombstone of BishopGiovanni Pecci,bishop of Grosseto, made byDonatello in 1427. It shows the dead prelate laid out in a concave bier in highly illusionistic low relief. Looking at it obliquely from the end of the tomb, gives the impression of a three-dimensionality. It was originally located in front of the high altar and moved to the present location in 1506.[14]
The wall tomb of bishop Tommaso Piccolomini del Testa is set above the small door leading to the bell tower. It is the work of the Sienese painter and sculptorNeroccio di Bartolomeo de' Landi in 1483.
ThePiccolomini Altarpiece, left of the entrance to the library, is the work of the Lombard sculptorAndrea Bregno in 1483. This altarpiece is remarkable because of the four sculptures in the lower niches, made by the youngMichelangelo between 1501 and 1504: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Gregory (with the help of an assistant) and Saint Pius. On top of the altar is theMadonna and Child, a sculpture (probably) byJacopo della Quercia.
Many of the Duomo's furnishings, reliquaries, and artwork, have been removed to the adjacentMuseo dell'Opera del Duomo. This includes Duccio'sMaestà altarpiece, some panels of which are scattered around the world or lost. Duccio's large stained glass window, original to the building, was removed out of precaution during WWII for fear of shattering from bombs or fire. A replica has been installed in the Duomo ever since. The glass depicts a typical Sienese religious subject- three panels of the Death, Assumption, and Coronation of Mary, flanked by the city's most important patron saints,Saint Ansanus;Saint Sabinus;Saint Crescentius; andSaint Victor, and in four corners are the Four Evangelists.
The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist is situated in the left transept. At the back of this chapel, amidst the richRenaissance decorations, is the bronze statue of St. John the Baptist byDonatello (c. 1455). In the middle of the chapel is a 15th-century marble font. But most impressive in this chapel are the eight frescos byPinturicchio, which were commissioned by Alberto Aringhieri and painted between 1504 and 1505. Two of the frescos were repainted in the 17th century, while a third was completely replaced in 1868. The original paintings in the chapel are:Nativity of John the Baptist,John the Baptist in the Desert andJohn the Baptist Preaching. He also painted two portraits:Aringhieri with the Cloak of the Order of the Knights of Malta andKneeling Knight in Armour. These two portraits show us a very detailed background.
The small Chigi Chapel (or Cappella della Madonna del Voto) is situated in the right transept. It is the last, most luxurious sculptural addition to the Duomo, and was commissioned in 1659 by the Sienese Chigi popeAlexander VII. This circular chapel with a gilded dome was built by the German architectJohann Paul Schor to thebaroque designs ofGian Lorenzo Bernini, replacing a 15th-century chapel. At the back of the chapel is theMadonna del Voto (by a follower ofGuido da Siena, 13th century), that even today is much venerated and receives each year the homages of the contrade. On the eve of thebattle of Montaperti (4 September 1260) against Florence, the city of Siena had dedicated itself to the Madonna. The victory of the Sienese, against all odds, over the much more numerous Florentines was ascribed to her miraculous protection.
Two of the four marble sculptures in the niches, are by Bernini himself:Saint Jerome andMary Magdalene. The other two areSaint Bernardine (Antonio Raggi) andSaint Catherine of Siena (Ercole Ferrata). The eight marble columns are originally from the Lateran Palace in Rome. The bronze gate at the entrance is byGiovanni Artusi.
The library was commissioned by cardinal Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini (then archbishop of Siena and the future popePius III) in 1492. It was intended as a repository of the book collection of his uncle cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, eventually PopePius II. This collection included works by his uncle, books in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, and many rare parchments.[15] Today, many of the original collection has been lost, but the library still houses many exquisite illuminated Psalters executed byLiberale da Verona andGirolamo da Cremona between 1466 and 1478 and later carried on by other Sienese illuminators’.[2]
Adjoined to the left-side of the cathedral, the entrance is set apart by a large marble wall monument, with two grand arches.[15] This marble entrance was constructed by Lorenzo di Mariano in 1497. It contains a round relief ofSt. John the Evangelist (probably) byGiovanni di Stefano and, below the altar, a polychromePietà by the sculptor Alberto di Betto da Assisi in 1421. Above this marble monument is a fresco of thePapal Coronation of Pius III byPinturicchio in 1504.[2]
Entering the room, there is an unmistakable stylistic shift within the library, compared to the rest of the cathedral; whereas the cathedral is more somber and dark, the library is filled with light and bright colors.[15] Much of the color comes from the manyfrescoes that cover the entirety of the walls and ceilings.
The walls are covered with depictions of the ten most important scenes from the life of Pope Pius II, to whom the library is dedicated.[15]Pinturicchio painted this cycle of frescos around the library between 1502 and 1507, representingRaphael and himself in several of them. There is some controversy whether these frescos were based, at least partially, on designs by Raphael.[2] This masterpiece is full of striking detail and vivacious colours. Each scene is explained in Latin by the text below, and demonstrate the remarkable events from the secular and religious career of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, first as a high prelate, then bishop, a cardinal and ultimately as pope Pius II:[2]
The ceiling is decorated in four panels, which each contain mythological subjects and are boarded by colorful, geometric patterns. They were executed between 1502 and 1503 byPinturicchio and his assistants.[2] The floor, made of blue ceramics with crescent moons, adds another element of color to the room. In the center of the room is a marble statue of three smiling women with entwined arms, who are personifications of the three graces.[15] Originally a Greek painting, the famous statueThree Graces is a Roman copy that was bought specifically to be placed in the library.[2]
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Unlike Florence or Pisa, Siena did not build a separate baptistry. Thebaptistry is located underneath the eastern bays of the choir of the Duomo. The construction of the interior was largely performed under Camaino di Crescentino and was completed about 1325.[2] The main attraction is the hexagonal baptismal font, containing sculptures and refliefs byDonatello,Jacopo della Quercia andLorenzo Ghiberti.
Located under the Duomo near the baptistry, and rediscovered in 1999 during an excavation, is the cathedral's crypt.[16] Although scholars prior to 1999 believed there was a crypt, as recorded in medieval sources, they did know know to what extent this room was preserved.[1] There is evidence that the room was filled with dirt and other material waste in the beginning of the 15th century, with more deposits added in the first half of the 18th century.[16] The room was decorated towards the end of the 13th century by a series of frescos, which survive today in vivid color. These frescos, covering each wall as well as the two pillars supporting the room, depict forty-five scenes from the Old and New Testaments. These scenes are bordered by geometric patterns and other embellishments.[17]
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