The Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Siena Cathedral) and its surrounding monumental complex rank among the most extraordinary Gothic church ensembles in Europe. It’s a single building housing works by Nicola Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini, surrounded by a museum, crypt, baptistery, and unfinished second nave.
This guide was updated in June 2026. The standard OPA SI PASS is €14 for most of 2026, rising to €16 when the marble floor is uncovered (27 June to 31 July and 18 August to 30 October). Many guides still show €16 as the flat annual price. A genuinely new 2026 addition: the Clavigero early morning experience (07:15 entry, April–October) has not yet appeared in any travel guide. You can book through GetYourGuide in advance.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Piazza Duomo 8, 53100 Siena, Tuscany, Italy. |
| Hours (1 Apr – 31 Oct; standard) | 10:00–19:00; Opera Museum 09:30–19:30 |
| Cathedral (Sundays and public holidays, Apr–Oct) | 13:30–18:00 |
| Hours (1 Jan – 31 Mar; 1 Nov – 24 Dec) | 10:30–17:30 |
| Cathedral (Sundays and public holidays, Jan–Mar; Nov–Dec) | 13:30–17:30 |
| Floor uncovered season hours | 10:00–19:00; Cathedral Sundays 09:30–18:00 |
| Last admission | 30 minutes before closing |
| OPA SI PASS (standard, off-peak) | €14 |
| OPA SI PASS (floor uncovered season) | €16 |
| OPA SI PASS children (7–11) | €3 |
| Gate of Heaven ticket | €21 (full); €6 (children 7–11) |
| Under 6 | Free |
| Pass validity | 3 consecutive days from issue |
| Nearest car parks | Parcheggio Duomo (from Siena Ovest exit); Parcheggio Il Campo (from Siena Sud) |
| Nearest bus | Siena centre — Piazza Gramsci terminal |
| Typical visit | 2–3 hours (full complex) |
Siena Cathedral opening hours
Hours vary significantly by season and by which day of the week you visit. From 1 April to 31 October, the main complex opens at 10:00 and closes at 19:00; the Opera Museum opens at 09:30. On Sundays and public holidays, the Cathedral itself opens only at 13:30. Many visitors who arrive on a Sunday morning expecting a 10:00 opening find the Cathedral inaccessible until the afternoon.
From January to March and from November to December, the complex opens at 10:30 and closes at 17:30, again with a 13:30 Sunday start for the Cathedral.
The marble inlay floor is uncovered during two periods in 2026: 27 June to 31 July and 18 August to 30 October. During these windows, the Cathedral opens on Sundays from 09:30 and admission costs €16.
The Clavigero early morning experience runs April to October 2026: entry to the Cathedral at 07:15 (before regular visitors) for a guided experience of the building at dawn. Book separately.
Siena Cathedral admission prices
The OPA SI PASS is the single ticket covering all sites in the monumental complex: Cathedral, Piccolomini Library, Opera Museum, view from the New Cathedral Façade (Facciatone), Crypt, and Baptistery. Many aggregators still quote a flat €16 as the standard price; the current rate is €14 (for most of the year) and €16 when the marble floor is uncovered.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| OPA SI PASS (standard season) | €14 |
| OPA SI PASS (floor uncovered: 27 Jun–31 Jul; 18 Aug–30 Oct) | €16 |
| OPA SI PASS – children (7–11 years) | €3 |
| Gate of Heaven tour (Porta del Cielo) | €21 (adults); €6 (children 7–11) |
| Under 6 | Free |
| Siena residents / born in Siena | Free |
| Disabled visitors + companion | Free |
| University of Siena students | Free |
The Gate of Heaven (roof and internal attic tour, max 18 participants) is a separate ticket and is not included in the OPA SI PASS — a point that confuses many visitors. The OPA SI PASS is valid for three consecutive days, giving flexibility to spread the complex across more than one visit. Book through GetYourGuide in advance.
Why visit Siena Cathedral?
- 🏛️ The marble floor, uncovered summer 2026: The 56-panel marble inlay pavement — covering the entire floor of the Cathedral — is covered by wooden boards most of the year to protect it. It is fully uncovered from 27 June to 31 July and again from 18 August to 30 October 2026. This is the only chance to see it each year.
- 🎟️ One ticket, three consecutive days: The OPA SI PASS is valid for 72 hours — enough time to visit the Cathedral, crypt, museum, and baptistery across two days without rushing.
- 🌿 The Clavigero: early morning entry at 07:15: A new 2026 experience (April–October) lets visitors enter the Cathedral at 07:15 — before regular opening — for a quiet, guided encounter with the building in morning light. Not yet mentioned in any travel guide at the time of writing.
- 📜 Michelangelo’s early work in the Piccolomini Library: The library holds the earliest publicly displayed marble statues Michelangelo ever made — 15 figures carved for the library facade before the Pietà and the David.
- 💰 Free for Siena residents and under-6s: Children under six enter free; residents of Siena municipality enter free year-round on presentation of identity.
How to get to Siena Cathedral
By car, leave the A1 (Autostrada del Sole) at Siena Ovest and follow signs for the Parcheggio Duomo car park. Alternatively, exit at Siena Sud for the Parcheggio Il Campo. Both car parks are just outside the historic centre; the Cathedral is reached on foot via escalators and walkways. Driving into the historic centre is restricted by ZTL.
By bus from Florence, the Siena-Florence express services (SENA/FlixBus and Tiemme) drop passengers at Piazza Gramsci on the northern edge of the historic centre. The Cathedral is a 10-minute walk south via Banchi di Sopra and Piazza del Campo.
By train, Siena station is on the periphery of the city. From there, take a local Tiemme bus to Piazza Gramsci; the train-to-cathedral journey takes around 30 minutes door to door.
Parking at Siena Cathedral
The Cathedral is in a pedestrianised zone and cannot be reached by car. The most convenient option from the north is Parcheggio Duomo (accessed via Siena Ovest exit); from the south, Parcheggio Il Campo (from Siena Sud exit). Both are paid car parks with escalator or lift connections to the historic centre. Parking in Siena on summer weekends is highly congested; arriving before 09:00 or after 18:00 is strongly advisable.
How long to spend at Siena Cathedral
Allow 2 to 3 hours for a thorough visit to this European cathedral, plus the Piccolomini Library, Opera Museum, Crypt, and Baptistery. The Facciatone viewpoint (the open top of the unfinished new nave) adds 20 minutes. Visitors who add the Gate of Heaven roof tour (approximately 75 minutes, max 18 people, booking essential) should allow 4 hours in total. The OPA SI PASS is valid for 3 consecutive days, so splitting the visit across two days is practical.
Accessibility at Siena Cathedral
The Cathedral can be accessed via a dedicated ramp on the left side of the building. The Cathedral interior and Piccolomini Library are reachable from this entrance. The Museum, Crypt, and Baptistery are not currently equipped for disabled access — confirmed explicitly on the official site. Disabled visitors and their companion enter the accessible areas free. The Gate of Heaven roof tour is not wheelchair accessible. Staff at the ticket office can advise on current provisions.
What to see at Siena Cathedral
The Cathedral interior is built in alternating black-and-white marble bands, with a gold coffered nave ceiling and the hexagonal pulpit by Nicola Pisano (1265–1268). Pisano’s pulpit — panels of the life of Christ with unusual naturalism — foreshadows the Renaissance by nearly two centuries.
The marble inlay floor (Il Pavimento) covers the entire Cathedral in 56 figurative panels by 40 artists, created 1372–1547. It is covered by protective boarding for most of the year and fully uncovered during two periods in 2026: 27 June–31 July and 18 August–30 October. The floor may be the best reason to time your visit carefully.
The Piccolomini Library opens off the left nave with ten large Pinturicchio frescoes illustrating the life of Pope Pius II (1502–1508). It is unchanged since completion. The library facade holds the three earliest known marble statues by Michelangelo.
The Opera Museum across the piazza holds Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Maestà (1308–1311) — the defining work of Sienese painting — alongside Giovanni Pisano’s original Cathedral façade statues.
The Facciatone is the open upper wall of the abandoned new nave, started in 1339 and halted by the Black Death of 1348. The view from the top across Siena and the surrounding landscape is one of the best in Tuscany.
The Crypt, rediscovered in 1999 below the south aisle stairs, holds 13th-century wall paintings considered the most significant medieval fresco discovery in Tuscany.
The Baptistery below the apse contains the baptismal font (1417–1434) with bronze panels by Donatello (Herod’s Feast), Ghiberti, and Jacopo della Quercia.
Practical tips for visiting Siena Cathedral
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| The OPA SI PASS is €14, not €16 | The standard price is €14 for most of 2026. It rises to €16 only during the floor uncovering season (27 Jun–31 Jul; 18 Aug–30 Oct). Many guides still quote €16 as the year-round price. |
| Check the floor uncovering dates | The marble floor is fully visible only during two periods in 2026: 27 June–31 July and 18 August–30 October. If this is important to you, plan accordingly. |
| Sunday: Cathedral opens at 13:30 | On Sundays and public holidays, the Cathedral does not open to visitors until 13:30 — not 10:00 or 10:30 like the rest of the complex. Many visitors arrive Sunday morning and find the Cathedral closed. |
| Gate of Heaven requires a separate ticket | The Porta del Cielo roof tour (€21) is NOT included in the OPA SI PASS. Book it separately in advance — it is limited to 18 participants per session. |
| Book in advance | Queues at peak times (especially July and August) can be significant. Pre-booking is strongly recommended for the Gate of Heaven tour in particular. |
Siena Cathedral FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the ticket price? | The OPA SI PASS is €14 for most of 2026 (standard season). It rises to €16 during the floor uncovering season (27 June–31 July; 18 August–30 October). Many guides show €16 as a flat annual price — that is not accurate. |
| Is the marble floor visible year-round? | No. It is covered by protective boarding for most of the year and uncovered during two specific periods: 27 June–31 July and 18 August–30 October 2026. |
| Is the Gate of Heaven included in the OPA SI PASS? | No. It requires a separate ticket (€21 adults; €6 for children 7–11) and must be booked in advance. It is limited to 18 visitors per session. |
| What time does the Cathedral open on Sundays? | 13:30 on Sundays and public holidays (not 10:00–10:30 as the rest of the complex). This applies year-round. |
| Is the complex accessible for wheelchairs? | The Cathedral is accessible via a dedicated ramp. The Museum, Crypt, and Baptistery are currently not equipped for disabled access — confirmed on the official site. |
Things to do near Siena Cathedral
Piazza del Campo is a 5-minute walk east — the world’s most celebrated medieval urban square and the site of the Palio horse race (2 July and 16 August each year). The fan-shaped piazza is surrounded by medieval palaces; the Palazzo Pubblico and its Torre del Mangia are at its base.
Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia are at the base of the Campo and contain the Museo Civico, holding Simone Martini’s Maestà and Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegories of Good and Bad Government — the most important surviving cycle of medieval secular frescoes. Entry to the courtyard is free; museum and tower are ticketed separately.
Santa Maria della Scala is directly opposite the Cathedral on Piazza del Duomo and is one of Europe’s oldest pilgrimage hospitals, now a major museum with medieval fresco cycles, archaeological collections, and temporary exhibitions. Not included in the OPA SI PASS; separate admission.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena is a 10-minute walk east along Via San Pietro and holds the definitive collection of Sienese painting from Duccio through the 16th century, in the Palazzo Buonsignori.
The Church of San Domenico is 10 minutes north-west of the Cathedral and contains the famous portrait of St Catherine of Siena by Andrea Vanni and the Chapel of St Catherine with her preserved head. Entry to the church is free.
Similar cathedrals and church complexes to visit near Siena
The Florence Cathedral complex (Opera del Duomo) is around 1.5 hours north by car or bus and comprises Brunelleschi’s dome, Giotto’s Campanile, the Baptistery, and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo — which holds Michelangelo’s late Pietà. The combined ticket system is comparable to Siena’s OPA SI PASS.
Orvieto Cathedral is around 1.5 hours south-west by car and is arguably Siena’s closest rival in Gothic intensity. The Signorelli frescoes in the Chapel of San Brizio are among the most important fresco cycles in central Italy. About 1 hour from Siena via the A1.
Assisi Cathedral and the Basilica of San Francesco is around 1.5 hours east of Siena by car. The Basilica holds Cimabue and Giotto’s major fresco cycles in the Upper and Lower churches — an essential complement to any engagement with Italian medieval art.
The Pisa Cathedral complex (Piazza dei Miracoli) is around 90 minutes west of Siena and comprises the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto, and Cathedral Museum. The Camposanto frescoes are among the great rediscoveries of 20th-century Italian art conservation.
San Gimignano Cathedral (Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta) is around 40 minutes north of Siena by car. Its interior is frescoed end to end with a 14th-century cycle by Bartolo di Fredi, and the complex shares the same Opera Laboratori ticketing system as Siena Cathedral.
More Tuscany travel
Other Tuscany travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- How much does it cost to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
- Why a Pisa food tour is a great way to explore beyond the Tower.
- A guide to Siena for first time visitors.
- Why do hot air balloon flights in Tuscany leave so early?
- Florence attraction guides: Palazzo Vecchio, Medici Chapels, Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.
