In the Duomo di Siena the most beautiful loft in the world
The loft of the Duomo di Siena is about to be opened up to the public, a new emotion from a celebrated and very famous treasure chest full of works of art
Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Cathedral in Siena, the inside from the loft
Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini… the greatest sculptors of their time have left their works of art in the Duomo di Siena. Isn’t that enough? But there is also the largest storiated flooring in the world and, the young Raffaello and Pinturichio, Beccafumi, Francesco di Giorgio …. An endless list of works of art.
Today it is possible to see this wonderful place from a different angle, with a strong and very new emotion. In a months time the loft of the Duomo will be open to the public and visitors will be able to see the Duomo from up high. Mario Lorenzoni, Rector of the Opera del Duomo has had carried out in a few years a great number of renovations and has transformed the Duomo di Siena in tone of the most visited art locations in Italy. He is the artificer of the opening up to the public of the loft and he is the organizer of the tour prepared for the members of the Inner Wheel di Siena where I too was present.
The access is through a spiral staircase created in the facade; with 70 steps you get to the loft where the water from the roof flows and where there is a complex structure in wooden beams that holds up the whole Duomo roof. From the
Siena Cathedral floor seen from the loft
windows you can see inside the church and one can remain speechless before such a wonder: the works of art cover the walls as far up as the top of the dome as if the old Sienese had never ceased paying homage to the Virgin patron of this city, with a never ending amount of sculptures, frescoes and decorations.
Siena cathedral and the bell tower
The effect is sensational: the pride and love for Siena, of the past generations is evident in the “balzana” symbol of Siena (black and white coat of arms) which appears here there and everywhere, practically a warning for today’s citizens. Siena is beautiful; Siena must be protected, loved and appraised! The opening of the loft to the public of the Duomo is a small but important sign of reaction to this crisis and an immense contribution to the worlds culture.