Photography by Marilyn Price

Italy 2007

Wall of unfinished cathedral, Siena, Tuscany, Italy

This photo shows a section of the wall of Siena's unfinished cathedral. The Duomo (cathedral) of Siena was one of the largest in Italy at the time it was built (photos of it follow). However, the people of Siena weren't satisfied and wanted to build the largest cathedral in the world. The main aisle of the current cathedral would serve as the cross nave of the new cathedral. The new cathedral was started, but never completed. They erected one side wall and the end wall (this one), then the Black Plague struck. Once they had recovered from that, they were captured by Florence and the Florentines decreed that no more construction would take place in Siena. The cathedral was never finished.

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