Facciatone

The Facciatone, in Siena

The Facciatone is the monumental vestige of the project of a giant cathedral that Siena could never complete. The Siena audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this great unfinished façade, become a belvedere offering an exceptional panorama over the town.

The great façade of the unfinished Duomo Nuovo

The Facciatone, literally the great façade, is one of the most striking testimonies of the interrupted ambitions of Siena. It is the monumental vestige of the project of the Duomo Nuovo, launched in 1339. The idea was to build a gigantic cathedral, which would have eclipsed all the others in Europe: the nave of the current Duomo was then to become the simple transept of this colossal new building. But the construction site came short: the Black Death of 1348, which carried away nearly half of the Sienese population, brought a brutal halt to the project, never resumed afterwards. There remains of this excessive ambition only this immense façade and a few sections of walls, silent witnesses of an unfinished dream. Today, you can climb the Facciatone: from the summit of this façade, a panoramic terrace offers one of the finest views over Siena, its roofs, its cathedral and the Tuscan hills. A moving witness of history and an exceptional belvedere, the Facciatone is a must-see stop of the discovery of Siena.

What to see

Here you discover the monumental vestige of the Duomo Nuovo, launched in 1339 to build a giant cathedral, interrupted by the Black Death of 1348; there remains of this unfinished dream only this immense façade and a few sections of walls, whose summit, accessible, offers a panoramic terrace with an exceptional view over Siena and the Tuscan hills. The Facciatone is a must-see belvedere of Siena. It is a stop to be discovered, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Facciatone lies near the cathedral, in the heart of Siena, reachable on foot. The climb to the panoramic terrace follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. The view is particularly beautiful on a clear day. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

What is the Facciatone of Siena?

The monumental vestige of the Duomo Nuovo, project of a giant cathedral launched in 1339 and interrupted by the Black Death of 1348; this immense unfinished façade today offers, at its summit, a panoramic terrace with one of the finest views over Siena.

Where is the Facciatone of Siena?

Near the cathedral, in the heart of Siena, in Tuscany, in Italy.