The Duomo is built from white and black marble, in decorative stripes. The outside is stunning, the the inside is just as astonishing. There are paintings and frewscos and sculptures, but what caught my attention was the striped pillars supporting the ceiling arches.
Did I mention the floor? It is paved with scenes from the Bible.
Interesting note: in the 1330s, building began to enlarge the existing church to make it the largest duomo in in Christiandom, even larger than the Florence Duomo. The existing church would have been just the nave for the huge cathedral. However, in 1348, the plague struck, and Siena lost three-quarters of its population. Work on the larger cathedral stopped, so now there are a few walls and columns that are open to the outside.
Tomorrow, we have dinner with a contrada. Look up Siena Contrada for a preview.
1 comment:
those plagues will ruin the BEST of plans! Thanks for sharing!
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