Medieval edifices line the cobblestone streets of Siena, a city in which time has stood still for 700 years. Building has become easier with modern technology; however, in the days of medieval Europe construction was difficult work because it was all done by hand. Buildings had to be wrangled into existence, and the result of that hard work is nothing short of spectacular.
Siena is a gorgeous city with historical roots so deeply ingrained in the culture it is visible in the buildings around you. Propped up on a hilltop, Siena’s principle cathedral can be seen from any part of the city.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is so beautiful it is called the Divine Beauty of Siena. The cathedral is an architectural marvel. Its façade is so extravagant and ornate that your eye darts from detail to detail, scrambling to take it all in. The decoration is meticulous and thoughtful; there is not an iota of symbolism wasted.
Before you arrive in Siena, you should know a few things. The city is so small that no cars are allowed in, so if you are traveling by car or bus, you’ll be dropped off at a piazza right outside the town. You’ll also need a ticket before you enter, and they can be found on the right side of the church. Fair warning: you will be allotted a specific time, so it is probably best to plan around it.
A façade as complex as this one is beautiful; however, it isn’t enough to just acknowledge beauty, you should understand it as well. Knowledge elevates this cathedral from an unfinished construction site to art.
The transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles is manifested in the architecture of this cathedral. The cathedral’s façade is divided into two parts: the top and bottom. The bottom is in the Romanesque style which was popular when construction started in the 1200s. The upper part is dominated by the Italian Gothic style because it was built in the 1300s.
As you look along the rim in the middle of the façade, you will notice a collection of sculpted animals. To understand the sculptures, you have to know Siena’s history. The city is divided into 17 different neighborhoods, or contarade. Each contrada has its own mascot or symbol, and when you are in a contrada’s territory, its symbol is seen on the streets.
Lining the entablature of the cathedral, you can find the 17 different mascots: the eagle, caterpillar, she-wolf, tortoise, snail, owl, dragon, giraffe, porcupine, unicorn, seashell, wave, goose, panther, forest, and tower. These symbols bring an enormous amount of pride to the people of Siena.
The people of Siena are not only extremely proud of their city, but feel a particular allegiance to their neighborhood. Once you belong to a contrada, which is more of a social group than it is a geographical one, you are in it for life.
The cathedral was for the people of Siena, so it made sense to include aspects of the city’s culture. Moreover, everything in the city is dedicated to the Virgin Mary; therefore, the name, Santa Maria Assunta.
Lower Façade
The lower façade was built by Giovanni Pisano, who not only decorated but dealt with the sculptural program. He was very influenced by the Romanesque style, but he was keen on the upcoming stylistic shift into Gothic. Romanesque is defined by round arches, barrel vaults, and large pillars. All these facets are apparent in the bottom half.
The three portals are topped by round arches, or lunettes, that add to the horizontal unity of the lower part. The pediments above the lunettes are typical of Romanesque architecture. The stripes of the building seemed to be familiar, so I caught up with Antonia, a Siena native, to understand the hidden knowledge about the building.
“The stripes seen throughout the building are typical of Tuscan medieval architecture.”
The stripes add a sense of place to the cathedral, which is exactly what Pisano intended to do. The stripes are white and black because they are the official colors of Siena.
He wanted this cathedral to be unique to Siena, so “the marble used is from Siena. Marble was deemed a very expensive resource, so it would only be used for the most important structures, like this cathedral.”
There are 35 sculptures that line the division between the top and bottom. The sculptures include prophets, philosophers, and apostles. All the sculptures follow the Italian Gothic style because they are all depicted announcing the coming of Christ.
Upper Façade
The top seems extremely decorated compared to the relatively simple bottom half. The top is in a different style because Pisano allegedly left Siena in 1296 over creative differences with the Opera del Duomo, or the group in charge of the cathedral’s construction. Caimano di Crescentino continued the work, but by then the overwhelmingly popular style was Gothic.
The Gothic style by pointed arches, large windows paired with tracery, and ornate stucco patterns. At this time, architects were experimenting with new ways to support a building to make it both more aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. This can be seen in this structure because the flanking towers are not connected to the peaks of the building. This is typically hard to hold up, but the architect managed to make it come to fruition.
Niches surround the rose window and sculptures of patriarchs have been placed in all of them. Most of the statues have weathered and have been replaced by copies, but you can see the originals in the Crypt of the Statues in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
The mosaics inside the gables are beautiful and depict important scenes relating to the Virgin Mary. The central mosaic includes the Coronation of the Virgin, and the left and right one depict the Nativity of Jesus and the Presentation of Mary in Temple.
The façade is so detailed and complex, looking at it feels like figuring out how to get out of a labyrinth. Though it was passed on from architect to architect, its harmony and beauty is undeniable.
It is hard to imagine what this masterpiece meant to the people of Siena at the time. The pride the people of Siena feel today stems from the architectural work of the time.