First Uncovering of the Cathedral floor – Siena
From June 26th to July 31st, 2025 first uncovering to admire the marvellous floor
From June 26th to July 31st, 2025 the floor of the Siena Cathedral comes back to light for the first extraordinary uncovering offering the chance to admire the fifty-six inlays that compose it, made by important artists, almost all from Siena.
“The most beautiful … great and magnificent … that has ever been made“. This is how the Italian painter Giorgio Vasari defined the floor of the Siena Cathedral in 1500.
The polychrome marble floor is extraordinary not only for the technique, but also for the message of the figurations that are a constant invitation to wisdom.
Visitors can see ancient protagonists, disheveled sibyls, and authoritative philosophers in the naves, while biblical subjects are depicted under the dome, in the presbytery, and in the transept.
The floor is the result of a complex program of over 50 scenes and figures created over the centuries, from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century.
The preparatory cardboards were drawn by artists, almost all from Siena, including Sassetta, Domenico di Bartolo, Matteo di Giovanni, Domenico Beccafumi, as well as by the Umbrian painter Pinturicchio, author of the famous panel with the Monte della Sapienza, a symbolic representation of the Virtue as the attainment of inner serenity, “a safe way through the waves” (Wis. 14,3).
The path is coherent and fascinating, with the three naves telling the themes of classical and pagan antiquity. In the transept and in the choir, visitors can admire scenes from Jewish history, from the salvation accomplished and achieved by Christ, always the protagonist, but never represented in the graffiti on the floor.
Visitors can admire the floor in compliance with safety protocols. The services offered include guided tours in various languages.
The uncovering of the floor happens twice a year: from late June to the end of July and from mid-August to mid-October.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Opening hours – During the uncovering of the floor, visitors can enter from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 9.30 am to 6 pm, last entrance half an hour before closing time. Times may vary in conjunction with religious celebrations.
Entrance with a fee.
The ticket allows to see also the museum, the cathedral…
For information call +39 0577 286300
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