Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In 1339 the city's leaders planned to enlarge the cathedral and create one of Italy's
biggest churches. Known as the Duomo Nuovo (New Cathedral), the remains of this pro-
ject are on Piazza Jacopo della Quercia, on the eastern side of the cathedral. The daring
plan, to build an immense new nave with the present church becoming the transept, was
scotched by the plague of 1348.
The interior of the duomo is truly stunning. Walls and pillars continue the black-and-
white-stripe theme of the exterior, while the vaults are painted blue with gold stars. The
inlaid-marble floor, decorated with 56 panels by about 40 artists and executed over the
course of 200 years (14th to 16th centuries), depicts historical and biblical subjects. The
older rectangular panels, including Wheel of Fortune (1372) and The She-Wolf of Siena
with the Emblems of the Confederate Cities (1373), are graffiti designs by unknown
artists, both restored in 1864. Domenico di Niccoló dei Cori was the first known artist to
work on the cathedral, contributing several panels between 1413 and 1423, followed by
renowned painter Domenico di Bartolo, who contributed Emperor Sigismund Enthroned
in 1434. In the 15th century, director Alberto Aringhieri and celebrated Sienese artist Do-
menico Beccafumi created the dramatic expansion of the floor scheme. These later panels
were done in more advanced multicoloured marble, inlaid with hexagon and rhombus
frames. Unfortunately, about half are obscured by unsightly, protective covering, and are
revealed only from 21 August through to 27 October each year (admission is €6 during
this period), and dates vary slightly each year.
Other drawcards include the exquisitely crafted marble and porphyry pulpit carved by
Nicola Pisano, assisted by Arnolfo di Cambio, who later designed the duomo in Florence.
Intricately carved with vigorous, realistic crowd scenes, it's one of the masterpieces of
Gothic sculpture.
Through a door from the north aisle is the enchanting
Libreria Piccolomini
(Piccolomini
Library; included in duomo ticket Mar-Oct, Nov-Feb €2)
, built to house the topics of Enea Silvio
Piccolomini, better known as Pius II. The walls of the small hall are decorated with
vividly coloured narrative frescoes painted between 1502-07 by Bernardino Pinturicchio
depicting events in the life of Piccolomini.
»
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
(Piazza del Duomo; admission €7; 10.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 1.30-5.30pm Sun Mar-Oct, to 5pm Nov-
Feb)
The collection here showcases artworks that formerly adorned the cathedral, includ-
ing the 12 statues of prophets and philosophers by Giovanni Pisano that decorated the
