The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta crowns the highest point of the old town and is the building most visitors come to Siena to see. Its striped marble walls, dark green and white, carry through the interior, where a carved pulpit by Nicola Pisano, finished in the late 1260s, stands in the north transept. The floor is the other showpiece: a marble inlay and graffito pavement of 56 panels, begun in the fourteenth century and completed in the nineteenth, which Giorgio Vasari called the most beautiful and magnificent floor ever made. Pinturicchio designed the Mount of Wisdom panel in 1505. The Piccolomini Altar holds statues carved by Michelangelo, and the Piccolomini Library, entered from the nave, is a single room of brilliantly coloured frescoes. Most visitors take a ticket that covers the cathedral and the library, or a pass for the wider complex.
When to see the floor
The pavement is normally hidden under protective boards for much of the year and is uncovered only in set periods. The cathedral publishes its schedule, so check it if seeing the panels without a screen matters to you. Entry costs a little more while the floor is open, and the cathedral can be busy, so go early or in the last hours before closing.
Winter opening times
From November to late December the complex typically opens from half past ten until half past five, with last admission thirty minutes before closing. Sundays and holidays start later in the day. The cathedral closes early on some feast days and for liturgical celebrations, while the rest of the complex may keep its normal hours. Services can change hours at short notice, so check the day before.
What else the ticket can open
A pass for the whole complex covers three consecutive days and adds the Cathedral Museum, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the Crypt and the panoramic viewpoint from the unfinished New Cathedral facade. A separate ticket covers the Gate of Heaven, a walk over the roofs, which runs from March to early January. The cathedral itself has a ramp on its left side, but the museum, crypt and baptistery are not currently accessible to wheelchair users.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit through the nave, transepts and the Piccolomini Library, with an audio guide on your phone and the option of a pass that adds the museum, crypt and baptistery.
Best time
Go when the doors open or in the last two hours before closing, when tour groups thin out and the light through the windows is softer.
How long
Allow ninety minutes for the cathedral and library, and about three hours if you add the museum and the facade viewpoint.
Tips
Dress with covered shoulders and knees, check for early closings on feast days, buy your ticket ahead to skip the queue, and leave time for the viewpoint if the weather is clear.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-time visitors, art lovers and anyone who wants Siena's single most striking interior.
- Families
- Children tend to enjoy the striped columns and the colourful library, though the museum and crypt involve steps, so a short visit works best.
- Couples
- Time your visit for the late afternoon and finish with a walk to the facade viewpoint above the rooftops.
- Pair with
- The Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia, Piazza del Campo and Santa Maria della Scala.
- Time needed
- Half a day if you take the full complex pass.
Good questions
Is the cathedral floor always on view?+
No. The floor is uncovered only for part of the year and is otherwise protected by boards, so check the cathedral's schedule if you want to see it.
Does the cathedral close early on some days?+
Yes, it can close in the afternoon on feast days and for liturgical celebrations, with last entry shortly before. The rest of the complex often keeps its usual hours, so check the day before.
What is the difference between a cathedral ticket and a complex pass?+
A cathedral ticket covers the church and the Piccolomini Library. A pass covers the whole complex, including the museum, baptistery, crypt and the facade viewpoint, and stays valid for three days.
Is the Gate of Heaven open?+
The rooftop walk is open from March to early January on the same hours as the cathedral, and it needs its own ticket. It is subject to availability, so book ahead when you can.
Can wheelchair users visit?+
The cathedral has a ramp on the left side. The museum, crypt and baptistery are not currently accessible, so plan the cathedral and library as the main visit.
