Magnificent mosaic floor in Siena Cathedral unmasked
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A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. The inlaid panels, usually covered to protect them from the thousands of visitors who flock to the Tuscan city each year, depict vivid stories from the Bible and classical antiquity, in black, white, green, red and blue marble. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Vistors look on Aug 30, 2012 at the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A closeup taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A closeup taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Tourists walk in the square in front of the Siena cathedral on Aug 30, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Tourists walk in the square in front of the Siena cathedral on Aug 30, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. The inlaid panels, usually covered to protect them from the thousands of visitors who flock to the Tuscan city each year, depict vivid stories from the Bible and classical antiquity, in black, white, green, red and blue marble. -- PHOTO: AFP
Vistors look on Aug 30, 2012 at the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
A closeup taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
A closeup taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows details of the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
Visitors admire on Sept 2, 2012 the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. -- PHOTO: AFP
Tourists walk in the square in front of the Siena cathedral on Aug 30, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Tourists walk in the square in front of the Siena cathedral on Aug 30, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
A general view taken on Aug 30, 2012 shows the mosaic floor in the Siena cathedral. Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create. -- PHOTO: AFP
SIENA, Italy (AFP) - Magnificent Renaissance mosaics covering the sweeping marble floor in Siena cathedral have been unveiled to give visitors a rare glimpse of scenes it took local artists 500 years to create.
The inlaid panels, usually covered to protect them from the thousands of visitors who flock to the Tuscan city each year, depict vivid stories from the Bible and classical antiquity, in black, white, green, red and blue marble.
Made up of 56 panels designed by some 40 artists, the floor was described by 16th century historian Giorgio Vasari in his Lives Of Artists as "the most beautiful, the greatest and most magnificent floor which was ever created."
Among the oldest mosaics is the She-Wolf Of Siena (executed in around 1373) which shows the wolf suckling infants Romulus and Remus: myth has it that while Romulus founded Rome, Siena was founded by Remus' son, Senius. Other panels portray the battle between David and Goliath, philosophers Socrates and Aristotle and ten Sibyls who became oracles around the world.
