Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the epitome of Siena’s many breathtaking churches. A Romanic-Gothic masterpiece, the cathedral is said to have been built on the ruins of an ancient Roman church.

The interior of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is enormous. Shaped in the form of a Latin cross, it is divided into three naves that house:

* The Chapel of the Madonna del Voto
* The Piccolomini Library: built in 1492 to hold the documents and vast number of books and texts owned by Pope Pius II
* The Chapel of Piccolomini: a magnificent structure built in 1481 and designed by Andrea Bregno to celebrate Pope Pius II
* The Pulpit of Nicola Pisano: a monument designed by Nicolo Pisano between 1266 and 1269
* Various important and beautiful alfresco works depicting the Nativity, the Adoration of the Wise Men, the Presentation at the Temple, the Crucifixion, the Massacre of the Innocents and the Judgment.

The cathedral floor, entirely paved in marble, is also a work of art and is covered in numerous fascinating images including various depictions of the Sibyl. Stemming from the Greek word sibylla, meaning prophetess, the Sibyl was a virgin who had prophetic powers, inspired by a god (usually Apollo).

Embracing this, the designers of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta covered the church floor with images of the ten virgin prophetess or Sibyls: Libyan Sibyl, Delphic Sibyl, Cumaean Sibyl, Persian Sibyl, Hebrew Sibyl, Erythraean Sibyl, Samian Sibyl, Hellespontine or Trojan Sibyl, Phrygian Sibyl and finally Tiburtine Sibyl. These beautiful women are joined by mosaics of the Sacrifice of Iefte, the story of Moses, the Slaughter of the Innocents and the sacrifice of Abraham.

Together these incredible works of art combine to symbolise the breathtaking splendor of the cathedral as a whole. A true stonewall of history and art, The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is one of the most beautiful structures in all of Italy.