Saints & Sinners in Siena
On Friday, March 29th, HSWS 38 Saints, Sinners and Harlots: Medieval Women in Central Italy went to Siena on a day trip. The academic field trip began with a tour of the Duomo di Siena, which included the Piccolomini Library displaying illuminated choir books. In the cathedral, Professor Adrian Hoch showed students works of art they had studied in course lectures and described the history and meaning behind Saint Catherine, the patron saint of Siena. After lunch, students reconvened in the famous Piazza del Campo to begin their tour of the Palazzo Pubblico to see the many intricate frescoes. The group then visited Santa Caterina to see where the saint had lived. The field trip ended in the Basilica di San Domenico to see several more works of art, as well as relics. The Basilica is home to the mummified head and thumb of Saint Catherine so the trip finished with quite the sights!