When we talk about the finest works of art in Siena it is inevitable to recommend a visit to the Cathedral: this time we reveal an event that will take place from 1st July, a useful tip if you are planning a summer vacation in Siena.
This event is the extraordinary opening, or rather the “uncovering” of the Duomo mosaic floor, usually covered by carpets for protection, from July unveiled in all its beauty: this “carpet of marble”, in fact, consists of 56 tarsie (inlay) realized by the greatest Senese artists during six centuries, from the XIV to the XIX century.
Among these we have to mention Sassetta, Domenico di Bartolo, Matteo di Giovanni, Domenico Beccafumi and the Umbrian Pinturicchio; for this reason, the floor of the Cathedral was defined by Vasari as the most beautiful, grand and magnificent ever made.
The visits will be organized in two phases: the first, from 1st to 31st July, it has been chosen to coincide with the Expo 2015 in Milan, identifying a common thread in one of the works that make up the marble floor, the “Moses Drawing Water from the rock” by Beccafumi, a reference to water as a symbol of life, tuned with the topic of the Expo,”Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.
The second phase of the opening is scheduled from 18th August to 27th October, as usual immediately after the Palio dell’Assunta on 16th August.
Admire the mosaic floor of the Duomo is like opening a history book: you will travel through the centuries, discovering the artistic differences and learning something new about Siena.
During the visits you can also a tablet, available to the visitors, to enrich your experience by listening to an audio guide and watching the hidden details of this work of art.
For information on guided tours, all-inclusive tickets and reservations, see this website: www.operaduomo.siena.it
Picture credits: via www.civita.it
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