This large complex (350,000,000 cubic metres), located in the heart of
Siena, in front of the Cathedral, conserves extraordinarily intact
testimonials of thousands of years of history, revealing a path that
runs uninterruptedly from the Etruscan and Roman age, through the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance, to us.
Built in the
12th century as a hospital, now the numerous rooms are used as a
museum. The most famous room is the Sala del Pellegrinaio
(Pilgrim’s Hall), with its 15th century frescoes depicting the
history and life of Santa Maria della Scala painted by Domenico
Bartolo, with the collaboration of other painters, including
Vecchietta.
Among the
smaller rooms it is worth noting the Sagrestia Vecchia
(Old sacristy), the Cappella del Manto (Chapel of the
Mantle) with the lunette by Domenico Beccafumi, the
Cappella della Madonna (Chapel of the Virgin Mary), and the
church of the Santissima Annunziata.
The Marcacci,
Novaro and Stretta rooms host the Archeological Museum of Siena,
which exhibits articles found mainly in the Siena and Chiusi
areas.
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