Discover the ancient hospital of Santa Maria della Scala

During your visit in Santa Maria della Scala you will discover the history of this immense hospital located in front of the Cathedral, founded between the 9th and 11th centuries, which was the hospital of Siena until the nineties of the 20th century. You will begin your visit in the Old Sacristy, where you will admire beautiful frescoes and the precious relics that attracted pilgrims to visit this building. The hall “Sala del Pellegrinaio” was the place that welcomed pilgrims and afterwards became a hospital ward. The frescoes in this room tell the history of the construction of the Hospital and its activities and show the objects that were used, the clothes that people wore and the architecture of the hospital. The guide will lead you then to discover the original marbles of Fonte Gaia made in the 15th century, in Pz del Campo there is a 19th-century copy.
Finally, you will visit the Oratory, where the St.Catherine rested and prayed after having dedicated herself to works of charity.