Santa Maria della Scala

Facing the Duomo di Siena, Santa Maria della Scala carries a quieter story of Siena, one shaped by care, shelter and shared responsibility. Founded in the Middle Ages as a hospital for pilgrims, the poor and the sick, its spaces were designed around compassion rather than monumentality. Over time, corridors, halls and frescoed interiors absorbed centuries of human presence, where assistance, faith and civic life unfolded side by side. As functions changed, care gave way to culture, leaving behind a layered environment where memory remains embedded in walls and light. More than a former hospital, Santa Maria della Scala preserves the traces of a city where care shaped identity and culture grew from service. Santa Maria della Scala is located less than a five-minute walk from Palazzo Sozzini Malavolti, directly opposite the Duomo.