During my recent stay in Tuscany I was able to sneak in a half-day trip to Siena. One of the main attractions in Siena is the cathedral, or duomo. Completed in 1380 A.D., it used to be the largest cathedral in the world at that time, which is remarkable, because it’s actually a scaled back version of what was originally planned. But war and plague forced the government to tighten the building-belt to what we see today.
Cheerful crowd in front of the Siena cathedral
When I arrived at the cathedral, I was greeted by quite a cheerful crowd. I was wondering what they were jumping up and down about. Had the pope come around the corner? Were they expecting the Italian soccer team? It then turned out that they are in that joyful mood all day, day and night…
Cheerful all day, all nightWell fed, too. Or had Botero arrived in Siena?Amazing level of detail
The level of detail on the fassade of the cathedral is quite amazing. The style is romanesque-gothic. The Italians must have always known a thing or two about modern design. Or have you seen any zebra-striped churches in Germany?
On my way home, I was happy to shoot this beautiful scene.
Evening in Siena
