The Facade of Duomo di Siena di Santa Maria Assunta

The astonishing facade of the Siena Cathedral is a rare design. The main stone consists of alternating stripes of white marble blocks and greenish-black marble blocks. The cathedral was originally designed and completed between 1215 and 1263 on the site of an earlier church that had been built in the 9th century. The stripe effect, visually both inside and outside the church, is quite breathtaking. The list of great artists and sculptors who have through commissions and papal orders decorated the grand edifice is amazing: di Giovani, di Francesco, Pisano, Vecchietta, Chesi, di Bartolo and Minella among many others. It's an art gallery of priceless works. It is so dark inside the church though that photography is pointless even with the very best low light cameras. The facade of Siena Cathedral is one of the most fascinating in all of Italy and certainly one of the most impressive sights in Siena, combining elements of French Gothic, Tuscan Romanesque, and Classical architecture. Built using polychrome marble, the work was overseen by Giovanni Pisano whose work on the Duomo’s facade and pulpit was influenced by his father Nicola Pisano.