Santa Maria della Scala is a museum complex in Siena situated on the Cathedral (Duomo) square in front of the Cathedral facade. It was one of the most ancient and largest hospitals in Europe, and one of the first xenodochia, a guesthouse for pilgrims. Today, it is one of the most important museum and cultural centers in Siena that hosts a large collection of artwork from antiquity to modern times.
The name “della Scala” (of the stairs) refers to the XIIth century legend that the hospital was founded where the mother of the Blessed Sorore had a vision of stairs with orphans from paradise.
The first references to the hospital date from the XIth century, which leads us to suppose that it must have been founded even earlier that that. The legend of Siena names as its founder a shoemaker, Sorore, who died in 898. The hospital had several functions, from the treatment and recovery of poor and sick to curing cast-off children, and at the same time it was also a place for pilgrims.
The hospital ceased functioning in 1995 when it was decided to open a museum there, in the heart of the most ancient part of the city. To the original XIIIth edifice was added the Church of the Most Holy Annunciation (Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata), the Rector Palace (Palazzo del Rettore) on the right and the House of Balìe on the left. The best Sienese artist and sculptors worked there to make the complex the third most important main art center in the city after Duomo and Palazzo Pubblico. Unfortunately the most part of the paintings didn’t survive and the best examples are conserved in the Pinacoteca, the frescoes of the walls and of the portal were totally lost.
Though interior frescoes are still can be seen at the Pellegrinaio, the most precious part of the complex with XV century frescoes used to host the pilgrims.
The Church of Santissima Annunziata was a hospital chapel founded in XI century. The ground floor of the hospital complex contains also the Women’s Chapel (capella delle Donne), the Old Sacresty (Sagrestia Vecchia), the Madonna Chapel (capella della Madonna), the Reliquiae Chapel (capella delle Reliquie) and other hospital rooms.
The lower level hosts the Treasury of Saint Catherine, the Chapel of Saint Catherine of the Night (oratorio di Santa Caterina della Notte) and other spaces containing artworks.
There is even another lower level, with the National Archeological Museum and some underground routes used for the hospital’s inner traffic. There are also the conserved XVth century masterpieces by Jacopo della Quercia - the statues and reliefs from the fountain Fonte Gaia on the main square of Siena piazza del Campo.
The name “della Scala” (of the stairs) refers to the XIIth century legend that the hospital was founded where the mother of the Blessed Sorore had a vision of stairs with orphans from paradise.
The first references to the hospital date from the XIth century, which leads us to suppose that it must have been founded even earlier that that. The legend of Siena names as its founder a shoemaker, Sorore, who died in 898. The hospital had several functions, from the treatment and recovery of poor and sick to curing cast-off children, and at the same time it was also a place for pilgrims.
The hospital ceased functioning in 1995 when it was decided to open a museum there, in the heart of the most ancient part of the city. To the original XIIIth edifice was added the Church of the Most Holy Annunciation (Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata), the Rector Palace (Palazzo del Rettore) on the right and the House of Balìe on the left. The best Sienese artist and sculptors worked there to make the complex the third most important main art center in the city after Duomo and Palazzo Pubblico. Unfortunately the most part of the paintings didn’t survive and the best examples are conserved in the Pinacoteca, the frescoes of the walls and of the portal were totally lost.
Though interior frescoes are still can be seen at the Pellegrinaio, the most precious part of the complex with XV century frescoes used to host the pilgrims.
The Church of Santissima Annunziata was a hospital chapel founded in XI century. The ground floor of the hospital complex contains also the Women’s Chapel (capella delle Donne), the Old Sacresty (Sagrestia Vecchia), the Madonna Chapel (capella della Madonna), the Reliquiae Chapel (capella delle Reliquie) and other hospital rooms.
The lower level hosts the Treasury of Saint Catherine, the Chapel of Saint Catherine of the Night (oratorio di Santa Caterina della Notte) and other spaces containing artworks.
There is even another lower level, with the National Archeological Museum and some underground routes used for the hospital’s inner traffic. There are also the conserved XVth century masterpieces by Jacopo della Quercia - the statues and reliefs from the fountain Fonte Gaia on the main square of Siena piazza del Campo.
