Sacred Architecture in Siena
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, or the Duomo of Siena, was built between the 12th and 14th centuries. With its impressive black-and-white marble façade, the Roman-Gothic Duomo houses many masterpieces of the Italian art: from the polychrome stained-glass window by Duccio di Buoninsegna (the original one is in the nearby Museo dell`Opera del Duomo, mentioned in the page "Museums in Siena"), to the octagonal pulpit by Nicola Pisano and the wonderful floor, which about fifty artists created in the course of four centuries.
The floor of the Duomo of Siena is not always visible, so if you are looking for a holiday accommodation in Siena, do not forget to check whether during your stay in the town of the Palio you can also admire this masterpiece representing various scenes of the Old Testament.
Another place you should visit from the apartment or villa you have rented in Siena is the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine, the building in the contrada of Oca where the patron saint of Italy and co-patron saint of Europe was born in 1347.
Last but not least, with its richly decorated interior, the Hebrew Synagogue of Siena (in Vicolo delle Scotte) is well worth a visit.