The Siena Cathedral was designed and constructed between 1215 and 1263 and is a popular tourist attraction in Siena. It i was designed by Nicola Pisano, a master in the Gothic style; his son Giovanni did the plans for the lower half of the façade.

Check out the amazing black and white striped campanile in the Romanesque style in the Cathedral from 1313. View the multi-level bell tower that ends in a roof in the shape of a pyramid. Walk through the Door of Forgiveness or Porto del Perdono in the south transept of the Cathedral. You will find a medallion bust by Donatello of the Virgin and Child at its top. Examine the mysterious inscription of ‘Sator Square’ in a stone on the wall of the Cathedral’s northern side. The frieze over the central portal showcases stories related to the Virgin Mary and also her parents, Anne and Joachim. Inside the Cathedral are nave arcades with beautiful sculptures. Along the cornice you see busts of different popes, below which are 36 busts of the emperors of Rome and Byzantine. Visit the Chigi chapel in the southern transept with paintings of St. Jerome and Mary Magdalene; in the north transept you see a bronze statue of John the Baptist and also various panels, one showing the Massacre of the Innocents. Check out the octagonal pulpit of the Cathedral. In the pavement of the Cathedral are 59 panels of marble, etched and inlaid, showing scenes from the Bible and also the history of Siena.