Siena Architecture

• Architect: Tommaso Pomarelli
• Style: Medieval urban planning with Gothic influences
• Built: Starting 1349
• Address: Il Campo, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Siena’s famous shell-shaped main square, paved with red brick divided by ten lines of white travertine, symbolizes the governance of the “Nine” magistrates who led the city during its peak in the 14th century. It hosts the Palio di Siena horse race twice a year and remains one of Italy’s most celebrated medieval public spaces.

• Architect: Unknown (attributed to various local masters)
• Style: Italian medieval with Gothic influences
• Built: 1297 – 1310
• Address: Piazza del Campo, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This imposing Gothic town hall, once the seat of Siena’s government, houses the Civic Museum with frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Simone Martini. Its harmonious façade of brick and stone symbolizes the political and artistic achievements of the Republic of Siena.

• Architect: Minuccio and Francesco di Rinaldo (likely); Agostino di Giovanni and helpers (possibly); Lippo Memmi (stone crown)
• Style: Gothic tower architecture
• Built: 1325 – 1348
• Address: Piazza del Campo, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Rising 102 meters, the Torre del Mangia is one of the tallest secular towers in Italy. Built to match the height of the cathedral, it represents the equal importance of church and state in medieval Siena. Visitors can climb its 400 steps for panoramic city views.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Medieval civic and religious square
• Built: Developed during the Middle Ages
• Address: Piazza del Duomo, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Located at the city’s highest point, this historic square is surrounded by Siena Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Santa Maria della Scala complex, forming the heart of Siena’s religious life and showcasing Gothic and Romanesque architecture.

aka Duomo di Siena aka Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta)

• Architect: Giovanni Pisano, Camaino di Crescentino, Giovanni di Agostino, Giovanni di Cecco
• Style: Romanesque, Classical, and Italian Gothic
• Built: 1196 – 1264 and 1339 – 1348 (unfinished)
• Address: Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This marble-clad masterpiece features an ornate façade, inlaid mosaic floors, and sculptures by Donatello, Pisano, and Michelangelo. Its intricate Gothic design, vibrant stained glass, and the Piccolomini Library make it one of Italy’s most spectacular cathedrals.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Romanesque-Gothic
• Built: Completed 1313
• Address: Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

The striking striped bell tower rises above the cathedral complex with alternating bands of black and white marble. It houses six bells, the oldest dating to 1149, and contributes to Siena’s distinctive skyline.

aka Cappella della Madonna del Voto

• Architect: Johann Paul Schor and Gian Lorenzo Bernini
• Style: Baroque
• Built: 1659
• Address: Siena Cathedral, Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Commissioned by Pope Alexander VII, this lavish chapel is adorned with marble, gilding, and sculptures by Bernini. It houses the venerated Madonna del Voto icon, Siena’s protector during times of crisis.

The Piccolomini Library is located inside the Siena Cathedral.

• Architect: Possibly based on designs by Raphael
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: Starting 1492
• Address: Piazza del Duomo, 8, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Built to honor Pope Pius II, this library features vivid frescoes by Pinturicchio depicting the pope’s life. Its colorful vaulted ceiling and illuminated manuscripts make it a Renaissance jewel within the cathedral.

Battistero di San Giovanni Battista

• Architect: Camaino di Crescentino
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1316 – 1325
• Address: Piazza S. Giovanni, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Located beneath the cathedral’s choir, the baptistery is renowned for its hexagonal baptismal font with panels by Jacopo della Quercia, Donatello, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, along with frescoes covering the vaulted ceilings.

aka the façade of the New Cathedral

• Architect: Lando di Pietro
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1330 – 1357
• Address: Piazza del Duomo, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Intended to be the façade of an ambitious cathedral expansion that was halted by the Black Death, Il Facciatone remains an unfinished yet iconic structure. Visitors can climb to the top for sweeping views of Siena’s rooftops and countryside.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Romanesque and Gothic
• Built: Possibly as early as 898; documented 1090
• Address: Complesso Museale di Santa Maria della Scala, Piazza del Duomo, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Once one of Europe’s oldest hospitals, Santa Maria della Scala served pilgrims, the sick, and the poor. Today, the sprawling complex houses museums, frescoed halls, and archaeological collections.

aka Basilica Cateriniana aka Basilica Cateriniana di San Domenico

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Italian Gothic
• Built: 1226 – 1265; additions completed 1465
• Address: Piazza S. Domenico, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This austere brick basilica is closely linked to Saint Catherine of Siena, whose relics are preserved here. Its vast interior features 14th-century frescoes and offers striking views of the city.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Romanesque with Gothic, Renaissance, and Neo-Gothic additions
• Built: c. 1255 – 1537
• Address: Piazza Alessandro Manzoni, 5, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Overlooking Siena from its hilltop position, this church blends centuries of architectural styles and contains important artworks, including the 14th-century Maestà by Coppo di Marcovaldo.

• Architect: Possibly Francesco di Giorgio Martini
• Style: Neo-Gothic
• Built: 1326 and 1475
• Address: Piazza S. Francesco, 6, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Known for its large brick façade and spacious interior, the basilica houses the miraculous Hosts of Siena, preserved since 1730, and features significant fresco cycles.

• Architect: Gian Pietro Cremona (renovation)
• Style: Baroque (church) and Romanesque (bell tower)
• Built: Original 1081; renovated 1731 – 1738
• Address: Via Pantaneto, 111, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This church’s elegant Baroque interior contrasts with its older Romanesque bell tower. It commemorates a victory over the Florentines in 1260 at the Battle of Montaperti.

Chiesa di San Martino

• Architect: Giovan Battista Pelori (renovations); Giovanni Fontana (façade)
• Style: Renaissance with Roman Mannerist façade
• Built: Originally 12th century; renovated 1537; façade begun 1613; bell tower completed 1738
• Address: Via del Porrione, 47, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Located near the Piazza del Campo, this church contains artworks by Baroque masters and has served the Contrada della Civetta in Siena’s Palio for centuries.

• Architect: Cristoforo Fedeli da Como
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: 1479–1484
• Address: Via Fontegiusta, 6, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Built to commemorate Siena’s victory over Florence at the Battle of Poggio Imperiale, the church contains frescoes by Lorenzo di Mariano and a coffered ceiling adorned with the coats of arms of the city’s districts.

• Architect: Baldassare Peruzzi
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: Starting 1517; completed in the 17th century
• Address: Pian dei Mantellini, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Part of a Carmelite complex, the church has an elegant Renaissance façade and contains works by Sodoma and Francesco Vanni.

• Architect: Jacopo Franchini (restoration)
• Style: Baroque
• Built: 1655–1656; restored 1722–1725
• Address: Via S. Marco, 77, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This chapel is part of the Church of San Domenico and is dedicated to the Madonna of the Rosary. The Baroque restoration added rich stucco decoration and a lavish altar, making it a focal point for Marian devotion.

Chiesa di S. Pietro alla Magione

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Romanesque with Gothic portal
• Built: Rebuilt 12th century; façade 12th or 13th century; portal 14th century; brick chapel built 1523–1526
• Address: Via Camollia, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Once belonging to the Knights Templar, this historic church has a simple Romanesque form with a finely crafted Gothic portal and is a rare medieval survivor in the Camollia district.

Chiesa San Pietro alle Scale aka San Pietro in Castelvecchio

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Unknown
• Built: Originally 13th century; reconstructed 17th and 18th centuries
• Address: Via S. Pietro, 29, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

A parish church in the historic core, San Pietro alle Scale retains its medieval layout while showcasing Baroque interior refurbishments from later centuries.

Chiesa Parrocchiale di Santo Spirito

• Architect: Baldassarre Peruzzi (portal); Giacomo Cozzarelli (dome)
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: Rebuilt 1498–1530
• Address: Piazza S. Spirito, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This Renaissance church is noted for its harmonious proportions, finely detailed portal, and prominent dome. It houses significant artworks, including pieces by Sodoma.

aka Oratorio della Nobile Comtrada del Nicchio

• Architect: Giacomo Franchini (interior)
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1683–1700
• Address: Via dei Pispini, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Serving as the oratory for the Contrada del Nicchio, this richly decorated church features elaborate stuccoes, ceiling frescoes, and an ornate altar dedicated to its patron saint.

• Architect: Jacopo della Quercia (reliefs); Tito Sarrocchi (replicas)
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1346; 1409–1419 (reliefs); 1859–1869 (replicas)
• Address: Piazza Il Campo, Siena SI, Italy, 53100

Located in the Piazza del Campo, the Fonte Gaia is Siena’s most famous fountain. Its name, meaning “Fountain of Joy,” celebrates the bringing of water to the city. The marble reliefs depict biblical scenes and virtues, though the originals by Jacopo della Quercia are preserved in a museum for protection.

• Architect: Giovanni di Stefano
• Style: Gothic
• Built: Rebuilt 1246
• Address: Via Fontebranda, 95, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

The oldest and most historic fountain in Siena, Fontebranda was a vital water source for the city’s wool industry. Its grand Gothic arches and spacious basin reflect its importance in medieval Siena.

• Architect: Camaino di Crescentino and Sozzo di Rustichino
• Style: Sienese Gothic
• Built: 1298–1303
• Address: Via Pian D’Ovile, 27, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This elegant medieval fountain features a sequence of Gothic arches and served as a vital water supply for residents of the Ovile district.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1352–1360
• Address: Vicolo Fonte, 6, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Hidden away down a wide staircase in a quiet corner of Siena, this small but charming Gothic fountain once provided water for the local neighborhood.

• Architect: Agnolo di Ventura and Agostino di Giovanni
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1327–1328
• Address: Via Roma, 83, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This monumental southern gateway once welcomed travelers arriving from Rome. Its large archway and crenellated walls are adorned with decorative Gothic elements.

• Architect: Agnolo di Ventura
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1325–1326
• Address: S.da dei Tufi, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Located on Siena’s southern side, this Gothic gate offers views over the rolling Tuscan hills and retains much of its medieval character.

• Architect: Minuccio di Rinaldo
• Style: Gothic
• Built: Starting 1326
• Address: Via dei Pispini, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Distinguished by its tall tower and defensive structure, Porta dei Pispini was built as part of Siena’s 14th-century fortifications.

• Architect: Alessandro Casolani
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: 1604
• Address: Viale Vittorio Emanuele II, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Traditionally considered the “welcome gate” for travelers from Florence, Porta Camollia bears the inscription Cor magis tibi Sena pandit (“Siena opens its heart to you wider than this gate”).

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Gothic
• Built: 1326
• Address: Via Laterino, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

One of the smaller medieval gates, Porta Laterina is tucked into a quiet section of Siena’s walls.

• Architect: Unknown; reinforced by Baldassarre Peruzzi in the 16th century
• Style: Gothic with Renaissance modifications
• Built: 1325–1326
• Address: Via S. Marco, 149, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This western gate features defensive towers and was strengthened during the Renaissance for added protection.

• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Gothic
• Built: c. 1255
• Address: Via Fontebranda, 95, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Named for the nearby Fontebranda fountain, this medieval gate provided access to Siena from the northwest.

aka Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena

• Owner: Giovanni Bichi di Guccio
• Architect: Unknown
• Style: Gothic
• Built: c. 1440
• Address: Via S. Pietro, 29, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

This Gothic palace, later purchased by the Bonsignori family in 1476, now houses Siena’s National Picture Gallery, displaying masterpieces of Sienese painting from the Middle Ages to the Baroque.

• Owner: Salimbeni family
• Architect: Giuseppe Partini (remodel)
• Style: Neo-Gothic (remodel)
• Built: 14th century; remodeled 1877
• Address: Piazza Salimbeni, 1, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Once the residence of the powerful Salimbeni family, this palace is now the headquarters of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world’s oldest surviving bank.

• Owner: Giacomo and Andrea Piccolomini
• Architect: Bernardo Rossellino
• Style: Renaissance
• Built: 1460–1495
• Address: 53100 Siena, Province of Siena, Italy

Built for the nephews of Pope Pius II, this elegant Renaissance palace took over 35 years to complete and remains one of Siena’s architectural gems.

aka Medici Fortress

• Architect: Baldassarre Lanci
• Style: Renaissance military architecture
• Built: 1561–1563
• Address: Piazza Caduti delle Forze Armate, 53100 Siena SI, Italy

Constructed by the Medici to secure their control over Siena, the fortress today serves as a public park and event space, offering panoramic views of the city.

Siena’s architecture evolved through the centuries, showcasing a mix of Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles. Influenced by historical events like the Black Death and the patronage of Saint Catherine of Siena, the city’s buildings reflect a rich cultural heritage. From the majestic Siena Cathedral to the elegant Palazzo Pubblico, each structure tells a story of Siena’s past. The blend of influences from Northern Italy and Tuscany makes Siena’s architecture a unique testament to its historical significance.

Siena’s architectural marvels, including the historic center and the Duomo, contribute significantly to its UNESCO recognition. The city’s Gothic design, exemplified in structures like the Siena Cathedral and Palazzo Pubblico, showcases a rich cultural heritage. With original frescoes by artists like Domenico Beccafumi and works by Giovanni Pisano, Siena stands as a testament to Italy’s historical and artistic significance. The preservation of these sites offers visitors a glimpse into the medieval charm and artistic legacy of this Tuscan gem.

Want to learn about the history of Siena with a guide? Book a highly-rated city tour while visiting Siena!