Hospital Santa Maria della Scala in Italy, resort of Siena
Rating: 8,7/10 (4324 votes)  Hospital Santa Maria della Scala is one of the first autonomous orphanages in Europe, primarily targeting pilgrims, foundlings and beggars. The hospital is located on Cathedral Square in the central part of Siena. The hospital was founded by the canons of the Duomo, but the people have a legend about its mythical founder – the shoemaker Sorore, who died at the end of the 9th century. The canons transferred the management of the hospital to the brothers who lived here, and in the 14th century the complex came under the control of the commune. During the same period, Augustine Novello drew up the hospital's first legal decree regulating the order of his life. Through alms and donations from the wealthy families of Siena, the hospital began to play a significant role in the city's economy. Extensive agricultural land was acquired, which for a long time was a source of support for the hospital's activities. The hospital building has three floors. The wide facade was made of red brick and decorated with elements of Gothic architecture. Lancet double-leaf windows delimit graceful columns, and the tympanum has the coats of arms of Siena. The hospital also played an important role in the cultural life of the city. The interior of the building was decorated by prominent painters of the time. The main facade of the building was decorated with a large Virgin Mary cycle, on which Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Simone Martini worked in 1335. We also recommend reading Dar Osman Palace in Tunis, Tunis resort Topic: Hospital Santa Maria della Scala in Italy, resort of Siena. |
