Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
proper exercise of power (Justice, Magnanimity, Strength, Prudence, Religion), as well as
depictions of some of the leading Republican lights of ancient Rome. The
Cappella
con-
tains a fine
Holy Family and St Leonard
by Il Sodoma. Next to the Anticappella is the
Vestibolo
(Vestibule), whose star attraction is a bronze wolf, the symbol of the city.
The best is saved for last, though. From the vestibule, you emerge into the
Sala del Map-
pamondo
(Hall of the World Map), where you can admire Simone Martini's powerful and
striking
Maestà
(Virgin Mary in Majesty; 1315). It features the Madonna beneath a can-
opy surrounded by saints and angels and is Martini's first known work. On the other side
of the room is another work attributed to Martini, his oft-reproduced fresco (1328-30) of
Guidoriccio da Fogliano, a captain of the Sienese army.
The next room, the
Sala dei Nove
(or Hall of the Nine), is where the Council of Nine was
based. It is decorated with Ambrogio Lorenzetti's fresco cycle known as the
Allegories of
Good and Bad Government
(c 1338-40). The central allegory portrays scenes with per-
sonifications of Justice, Wisdom, Virtue and Peace, all unusually (at the time) depicted as
women, rendered along with scenes of criminal punishment and rewards for righteous-
ness. Set perpendicular from it are the frescoes
Allegory of Good Government
and
Al-
legory of Bad Government
, which feature intensely contrasting scenes set in the recognis-
able environs of Siena. The good depicts a sunlit, idyllic, serene city, with joyous citizens
and a countryside filled with crops; the bad city is filled with vices, crime and disease.
These frescoes are often described as the most important secular paintings of the Renais-
sance, and shouldn't be missed.
Opera della Metropolitana di Siena
MAP
CATHEDRAL
GOOGLE MAP
(
www.operaduomo.siena.it
;
Piazza del Duomo; OPA SI pass Mar-Oct €12, Nov-Feb €8)
Siena's
duomo
is one of Italy's greatest Gothic churches, and is the focal point of this important group of
ecclesiastical buildings, consisting of the
duomo
, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, baptistry
and crypt. The OPA SI Pass offers discounted admission to all of the attractions here.
»
Duomo
(
www.operaduomo.siena.it
;
Piazza del Duomo; Mar-Oct €4, Nov-Feb free; 10.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat,
1.30-5.30pm Sun Mar-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb)
Construction of the
duomo
started in 1215 and work
continued well into the 14th century. The magnificent facade of white, green and red poly-
chrome marble was designed by Giovanni Pisano (the statues of philosophers and proph-
ets are copies; you'll find the originals in the Museo dell'Opera).
