Chiesa del Santuario di Santa Caterina

Welcome to the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine, a site where the domestic and the divine intertwine in a manner unique to the city of Siena. We are standing on the very grounds that once belonged to the Benincasa family. …

We begin our exploration at the Portico dei Comuni, the elegant entrance that greets modern visitors. While it appears classically Sienese, this structure is actually a relatively recent addition, completed in 1939. …

Step now into the Oratory of the Kitchen (Oratorio della Cucina). As the name suggests, this space was once the actual kitchen of the Benincasa family. …

In the central courtyard of the complex, you will find a beautiful well, known as the Pozzo di Santa Caterina. While legend often attributes the design to the great Sienese architect Baldassare Peruzzi, historical evidence…

We now enter the Oratory of the Crucifix, perhaps the most spiritually significant room in the entire complex. This chapel was built on the site where Catherine’s family once had their garden, but its true purpose is to house the…

From the grand oratories, we move to a much smaller, more somber space: the 'Camera di Santa Caterina,' or the Saint’s cell. This was Catherine's actual bedroom, where she spent years in near-total silence and fasting as a young…

Our final stop within the complex is the Oratory of the Brotherhood (Oratorio della Compagnia). This space was the meeting place for the lay confraternity dedicated to Catherine’s memory. …

As we step back out into the bright light of the Sienese streets, take a moment to reflect on the journey we have just taken. We have traveled from the public portico to the private kitchen, from the mystical height of the…