Basilica of San Domenico in Siena

The Basilica of San Domenico in Siena, also known as the Church of Catheriniana, looks more like an imposing knight's castle with its mundane massiveness and crenellated tower. It is completely devoid of exterior decoration and does not even have a main facade.

History of creation

The construction of the Basilica of San Domenico was started in the middle of the 13th century by the Dominican monks. It was built in those days, without much haste, so the construction of the religious building took more than 40 years. After another 100 years, the church was slightly expanded, and it acquired its preserved appearance in 1465.

It is believed that Catherine of Siena, one of Italy's most revered saints, spent most of her life here. She became famous for her amazing asceticism, self-denial and religious visions. By the way, Catherine received the official title of the patron saint of the country only in 1939.

At the end of the 18th century, the Basilica of San Domenico was almost completely wiped off the face of the earth by a major earthquake, but thanks to the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church, it rose from the ruins, completely retaining its formidable appearance. This appearance was supposed to indicate the renunciation of material wealth by members of the religious order. Well, the massive walls without protrusions were designed to protect the city from a very likely attack by neighbors from Florence.

Description

The Gothic Basilica of San Domenico was built of red brick and decorated with a strict, but no less majestic bell tower. However, after the devastating earthquake, it lost some height.

The interior of the church is also unusual, made in the form of an Egyptian cross with eight chapels inside. The chapel of the Capella delle Volte is particularly popular with travelers and pilgrims. The inhabitants of the Basilica of San Domenico, including Saint Catherine, prayed in this place for a long time. The chapel is decorated with 17th-century paintings by Mattia Preti and Crescenzio Gambarelli. Here, in a visual form, a description of the Saint's life is given: her tonsure, visions, and death. At the same time, it is believed that the central canvas with Catherine's face is her only reliable image. In the chapel there is an ark with the finger of the Holy Intercessor, and Catherine's head is kept in the altar of the Basilica of San Domenico, created in the XV century. The rest of the relics are located in Rome, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

The walls of the nave are of no less interest to connoisseurs of ancient painting. There are works by Francesco di Vannuccio, brothers Giovanni, Lorenzetti, Stefano Volpi, Antonio Maga, Il Sodoma, Alessandro Casolani. The marble floors are decorated with images of Orpheus and numerous representatives of the animal world.

The observation tower offers a magnificent view of the Cathedral of Siena and the tower of the Torre del Mangia.