How to visit and what to see in the Siena Duomo: schedules, prices

Un trip through Italian Tuscany Among its great attractions is the possibility of visiting the city of Siena , and there are several reasons to do so.

Among them, knowing your Duomo cathedral, which I can tell you offers the most spectacular interior that you can see among other famous cathedrals of Tuscany, surpassing, from my point of view, those of Florence y Pisa.

Now, as with these other Tuscan cathedrals, in reality the siena cathedral It is a complex of buildings whose visit it is advisable to plan in advance.

Thus, for example, in addition to enjoying the views of the sublime main facade of the Duomo and the beautiful interior decoration of the cathedral building, you can visit the Baptistery of San Juan, semi-hidden space on the north façade of the temple.

Or inside the cathedral building, it is also worth the wall paintings of the Crypt, recently brought to light, or explore the opera museum.

And, of course, get to the Panorama, from where you have excellent panoramic views of Siena.

Curiosities history of the Duomo cathedral of Siena

At the outset you should know that the Cathedral Duomo of Siena It is a monument that is part of the historic center of this beautiful Italian city declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco, which has in its famous Field Square and Torre del Mangia its other main axes of tourist interest.

La siena cathedral is a work of Gothic style from the architect Giovanni Pisano and it was completed in 1263-

Its bell tower was completed in the 15th century, although the upper lantern was added later.

A characteristic element of this cathedral, which at first you will be surprised by, is that in the 14th century a large extension was undertaken that attempted to triple its current surface area, but the effects of the Black Death led to its suspension in 1348.

Now next to the cathedral building you can see parts of the extension, among which what stands out is what was going to be the new façade, a large arch on which stands the aforementioned Panorama viewpoint.

What to see when visiting the Siena Duomo

Before your visit, the first thing you should do is enjoy the beauty of its spectacular facade, one of the best examples of italian gothic.

Throughout the building, both outside and inside, you will be struck by its construction showing alternating bands of marble, combining black and white colors.

Another aspect to highlight is the beautiful decoration of the cathedral floor, which is the result of the work carried out from the 14th century to the 19th century.

In said Marble floor You can see works by numerous artists from the aforementioned periods, with scenes in the transept of the classical and pagan antiquity, and with the history of the Jewish people on the choir floor.

Crypt of the Siena Duomo

A corner to visit in the cathedral is the Duomo crypt, an area located under the choir of the cathedral, recovered in 1999, and where you can now see some spectacular wall paintings from the XNUMXth century.

Piccolomini Library in Siena Duomo

Another notable corner is the Piccolomini Library, enabled in 1492 in the facilities of the old rectory, which stands out for the great decoration with frescoes on its walls and vault.

And another visit to make is known as Heaven's Door, a tour of the cathedral roofs.

Baptistery of the Duomo of Siena

But if there is one corner that you should never miss during your visit to the Siena Duomo, it is the Baptistery, and I'll tell you because the entrance is on the outside of the building.

When you go to visit the Duomo cathedral You will surely arrive along the main street of the historic center from the beautiful Piazza del Campo.

Before reaching the esplanade where the Siena Duomo, you must climb a large staircase.

Well, look to the right of this staircase; There you will see a small facade where the door of the building is located. Baptistery of Saint John,

When in the 14th century it was wanted to expand the choir area of ​​the Cathedral Duomo of Siena, it became necessary to build a monument to support this expansion, which was completed in 1382.

In this way, in 1390 what is now known as Baptistery of Saint John, which on the outside barely shows what would be the unfinished façade of a church, so it probably won't catch your attention.

But if you want to see a dazzling artistic ensemble, you must enter this small space that actually sits beneath the cathedral's choir area.

The room Siena Cathedral Baptistery It has in the center a beautiful baptismal font, which was sculpted in 1431 by the most famous sculptors of the Renacimientoas Jacopo della Quercia, Turino di Sano o Lorenzo Ghiberti.

However, the most prominent part of the baptismal font, the Herod's Feast, it was the work of Donatello.

The room Baptistery of the Duomo of Siena It is completed with the frescoes that cover the walls and ceilings, the work of various Renaissance painters.

Schedule to visit Duomo Cathedral of Siena

The Siena Duomo Cathedral visiting hours They are, in most of the year, specifically from April to October, from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m. with last access half an hour before closing.

In the rest of the year the cathedral closes for visits at 17,30:18 p.m., except during Christmas time, which is at XNUMX p.m.

If your visit to Siena coincides with sunday or holiday, opening hours are from 13,30:18 p.m. to 17,30:XNUMX p.m. from March to October, and the rest of the year, it closes at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

These schedules apply to visit all facilities, such as the cathedral, the Opera Museum, the Crypt, the Piccolomini Library, the Panorama and the Baptistery of the Duomo of Siena.

Prices and purchase tickets Duomo of Siena

When planning your visit, you must keep in mind that you will have to pay a different entrance price depending on the facilities you are going to visit, and they also change depending on the time of year,

If you only want to visit the cathedral building, here you can buy tickets for skip-the-line access (here you go another option), which also includes the visit of the Piccolomini Library.

If you have time for visit of the Duomo of Siena, at the time of buy the tickets You have to consider the convenience of acquiring the card OPA Yes Pass.

This card gives you access to a complete visit to the different rooms of this cathedral complex.

In advance of your trip, and to avoid possible queues, here you can buy the card in Spanish OPA Yes Pass, whose price includes the advance purchase fee (here is another Purchase option).