Santa Maria dei Servi, Minor basilica in Siena, Italy.
Santa Maria dei Servi is a Gothic minor basilica on a hill at the southern edge of Siena's historic center, part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its plain facade has a single doorway and a rose window, while inside the space opens into three aisles under tall vaults lined with paintings and altarpieces.
Construction began in the 13th century on the site of an earlier chapel, and the Servite order took over the building shortly after and drove its transformation. Over the 14th and 15th centuries the church was enlarged and reshaped into the three-aisle structure that visitors see today.
The name refers to the Servite order, a religious community devoted to Mary, which shaped the decoration and purpose of the building over many generations. Visitors walking through the interior today can notice how nearly every altar and painted panel connects to this Marian tradition.
The church sits at the southern end of the old town and the climb to the entrance steps can be steep, so comfortable shoes make the walk easier. Once at the top, the small square in front of the building offers an open view over the rooftops of Siena that rewards the effort.
One of the panels inside is the enthroned Madonna painted by Coppo di Marcovaldo in 1261, one of the earliest surviving examples of this image type in Tuscany. The work was not a donation but a ransom: Coppo painted it in exchange for his release after being held captive in Siena following a battle.
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