Basilica Cateriniana of San Domenico

The Basilica Cateriniana di San Domenico is located on the Colle di Camporeggio, a beautiful vantage point just outside the walls of the historical centre of Siena. It was built in the 13th century and enlarged in the following century. It is imposing, with a single nave, and at first glance appears rather bare, yet it contains works of art of great value.

Although dedicated to St Dominic, the church in Cistercian-Gothic style is more associated with the figure of St Catherine of Siena. In the Chapel of St Catherine, in fact, many relics belonging to the saint are preserved, in particular one of her fingers and her head, placed on a 15th-century altar surrounded by frescoes depicting scenes from her life, including two by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as 'il Sodoma'. Also in the Chapel of the Vaults, in which the saint used to retire to pray and where she had many of her visions, there are numerous paintings and frescoes depicting moments from her life, including the fresco 'Catherine and a Devotee', painted by Andrea Vanni, a disciple of the saint, and considered to be a truthful portrait of the woman.

A 14th-century crypt and a 15th-century cloister are also part of the basilica complex.

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