Siena & Central Tuscany - Florence and Tuscany - page 401

(Duomo Collegiata o Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta; Piazza del Duomo; adult/child €3.50/1.50;
10am-7.10pm Mon-Fri, to 5.10pm Sat, 12.30-7.10pm Sun Apr-Oct, shorter hr rest of year, closed 2nd half
Nov & Jan) San Gimignano's Romanesque cathedral is commonly known as the Collegiata,
a reference to the college of priests who originally managed it. Parts of the building date
back to the second half of the 11th century, but its remarkably vivid frescoes, which re-
semble a vast medieval comic strip, date from the 14th century.
Entry is via the side stairs and through a loggia that was originally covered and func-
tioned as the baptistry. After entering the main space, face the altar and look to your left
(north). On the wall are scenes from Genesis and the Old Testament by Bartolo di Fredi,
dating from around 1367. The top row runs from the creation of the world through to the
forbidden fruit scene. This in turn leads to the next level and fresco, the expulsion of
Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, which has sustained some war damage. Further
scenes include Cain killing Abel, and the stories of Noah's ark and Joseph's coat. The last
level continues with the tale of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt, and the story of Job.
On the right (south) wall are scenes from the New Testament by the workshop of Si-
mone Martini (probably led by Lippo Memmi, Martini's brother-in-law), which were
completed in 1336. Again, the frescoes are spread over three levels, starting in the six lun-
ettes at the top. Commencing with the Annunciation, the panels proceed through episodes
such as the Epiphany, the presentation of Christ in the temple and the massacre of the in-
nocents on Herod's orders. The subsequent panels on the lower levels summarise the life
and death of Christ, the Resurrection and so on. Again, some have sustained damage, but
most are in good condition.
On the inside wall of the front facade, extending onto adjoining walls, is Taddeo di Bar-
tolo's striking depiction of the Last Judgment - on the upper-left side is a fresco depicting
Paradiso (Heaven) and on the upper-right Inferno (Hell). The fresco of San Sebastian un-
der them is by Benozzo Gozzoli.
Off the south aisle, near the main altar, is the Cappella di Santa Fina , a Renaissance
chapel adorned with naive and touching frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio depicting
events in the life of one of the town's patron saints. These featured in Franco Zeffirelli's
1999 film Tea with Mussolini .