San Domenico (Siena)
Coordinates: 43°19′11.04″N 11°19′36.99″E / 43.3197333°N 11.3269417°E
The Basilica of San Domenico, also known as Basilica Cateriniana, is a basilica church in Siena, Tuscany, Italy, one of the most important in the city.
The church was begun in 1226-1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century resulting in the Gothic appearance it has now. However, aspects of the Gothic structure were subsequently destroyed by fires in 1443, 1456 and 1531, and further damage later resulted from military occupation (1548-1552).
It is a large edifice built, like many contemporary edifices of the mendicant orders, in bricks, with a lofty bell tower on the left (this was reduced in height after an earthquake in 1798). The interior is on the Egyptian cross plan with a huge nave covered by trusses and with a transept featuring high chapels.
The church contains several relics of St. Catherine of Siena, whose family house is nearby.
This is an old praying place of Dominican nuns, connected to numerous episode of sanctity of Catherine of Siena's life. It houses the Canonization of St. Catherine by Mattia Preti, flanked by two 1602 paintings by Crescenzio Gambarelli. Other works by the latter are also present. The main wall has a portrait of St. Catherine.
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