The Church of Sant’Agostino in Siena was constructed in the 13th century, but has been renovated several times since. The church contains numerous works of art by masters such as Perugino, il Sodoma and Luca Signorelli.
Church of Sant’Agostino Siena
Useful information
Address: Prato di Sant’Agostino, 2 – 53100 Siena. Telephone: +39 0577 292111. Opening hours: From 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Ticket price: Free of charge.
History and description
The Gothic Church of Sant’Agostino was built in the 13th century. After a fire had destroyed most of the original structure in 1747, Vanvitelli designed a new church. The interior is still the way Vanvitelli had it constructed.
The external portico was added in 1819, by Agostino Fantastici.
The interior is graced by several polychrome 16th and 17th century altars.
What to see
The most famous work of art in the church is the so-called Chigi Altarpiece by Perugino, painted around 1506 for the banker Agostino Chigi. The family Chigi had their own chapel in the church. The upper part shows a crucified Christ, while the lower part depicts several saints connected to the church and to the Chigi family. The predella was split up into two halves, one of which can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum (New York) and the other one in the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Piccolomini Chapel is decorated by a “Madonna and Child with Saints” by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
The Cappelli Bichi contain frescoes by Luca Signorelli and Francesco di Giorgio.
Francesco Vanni painted the “Baptism of Constantine”.
Rutilio Manetti was responsible for the “Temptation di Sant’Antonio”.
Il Sodoma painted the “Adoration of the Three Kings”.