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Informaciones generales
| Destino |
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| Siena, Italia |
Detalles del programa
Highlights• Explanation of the exterior of the building in Piazza Duomo Santa Maria Della Scala
• Old Sacristy, the Treasure of Siena (its precious relics)
• Pilgrim’s Hall (frescoes of the 15th century)
• Chapel of the Mantle; original marbles of the fountain Fonte Gaia
• Oratory Santa Caterina Della Notte.
From ancient medieval hospitals for pilgrims to the largest museum center of Siena. On this exciting tour, you will discover the halls of the museum Santa Maria Della Scala, a building located in front of the Cathedral, which was the hospital of Siena until recently. Initially, its role was to accommodate the pilgrims who passed through the pilgrimage road Via Francigena, then it dedicated itself to caring for the poor, the sick, the pilgrims and the abandoned children called in Siena “the foundlings”. Let yourself be surprised by the many artworks enclosed in this museum full of beauty and history!
During your visit to Santa Maria Della Scala (St. Mary of the ladder), you will discover the oldest hospital in Europe, operational already in 1090. On this tour you will be amazed by the huge frescoed halls of the first hospital of the city, which remained active until 1960.
You will understand the role that the hospital has played over the centuries in making the city of Siena one of the largest and richest cities of the 12th and 13th centuries, even larger and more important than London and Paris.
You will begin the tour by admiring the frescos and the “Treasure of Siena”, precious relics of Saints and Jesus, purchased from the hospital in Orient.
During the Middle Ages every year millions of pilgrims were attracted to visit this building before reaching Rome.
The Pilgrim’s Hall “Sala del Pellegrinaio” was the place that welcomed pilgrims. Thanks to the frescoes of the 15th century still perfectly preserved you will know the history of the construction of the hospital and the numerous activities carried out: care and assistance to the sick and pilgrims, alms to the poor, hospitality and education for abandoned children and much more. These frescoes are considered a unique iconographic testimony of the objects that were used, of the clothes that people wore at that time and of the architecture of the hospital. The images provide us interesting information about the progress of Western medicine and its methods of care already applied in the 15th century, so innovative as to attract many Italian cities to come and discover the reality of the hospital.
You will continue the tour in the lower floor of the building, the guide will lead you to discover the original statues of marble of Fonte Gaia (fountain) realized in the 15th century and placed in the center of Piazza del Campo. Finally, you will visit the Oratory Santa Caterina Della Notte (St. Catherine of the Night), where the Sienese Saint, patron of Italy and Europe, rested and prayed after having dedicated herself to works of charity and assistance to the sick and needy right in this hospital.