Discovered by chance recently, it houses splendid paintings by the greatest exponents of the Sienese school.
The crypt of Siena Cathedral was discovered by chance in 1999. During the renovation of the Oratory of Santi Giovannino e Gennaro, commissioned by the Opera del Duomo museum, portions of wall paintings were discovered under the Cathedral choir. The Crypt is a 180-square-metre walled room dating back to the second half of the 13th century that was walled off and filled with debris during the 1300s and has remained buried and hidden for around seven centuries since then.
The work of emptying the new chamber took about three years and in the end experts from all over the world, art historians and archaeologists were confronted with an astounding discovery that would add important new pieces to the history of medieval art.
Exceptional paintings, original colours, intact subjects and architecture were brought to light, providing more works by major artists of the 13th-century Sienese school including Guido da Siena, Dietisalvi di Speme, Guido di Graziano, Rinaldo da Siena. True unpublished works, these Bible Stories of great quality expand our knowledge of 13th-century mural painting and provide fundamental testimony on the origin and development of the Sienese school.
The scenes are organised on two registers. The top one is dedicated to the Old Testament, the lower one to the New Testament, among which the three Stories of the Passion stand out: the Crucifixion, the Deposition from the Cross and the Burial of Christ.
Opening hours:
From 1 April to 31 October: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Cathedral Holidays: 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Cathedral Days before public holidays: 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm
1 November – 31 March: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Cathedral Holidays: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Cathedral Days before public holidays: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
26 December – 6 January: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm
Cathedral Holidays: 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Cathedral Days before public holidays: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Tel: +39 0577 286300
Email: opasiena@operalaboratori.com
ticket office link https://operalaboratori.vivaticket.it/it/tour/complesso-monumentale-del-duomo-di-siena/2589
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