Piccolomini Library
The Piccolomini Library is a small room attached to Siena Cathedral, built in the late 15th century to house the book collection of Pope Pius II, a member of the Piccolomini family. Its walls are covered in vividly colored frescoes by Pinturicchio depicting scenes from Pius II's life, one of the best-preserved fresco cycles of its era due to the room's limited exposure to light and weather over the centuries.
The library also holds a collection of illuminated choir books and a Roman-era sculpture of the Three Graces, standing at the room's center.
Because it's a relatively small, enclosed space, the intensity of color and detail in the frescoes is especially striking up close, offering a different experience from the vast, wall-sized frescoes found elsewhere in Italy.
Piccolomini Library FAQs
It's generally included as part of the standard Siena Cathedral combined ticket.
A Sienese-born pope and member of the Piccolomini family, for whom this room was built to house his personal library.
The room's limited light and weather exposure over centuries helped keep Pinturicchio's colors unusually vivid compared to many other Renaissance frescoes.
10-15 minutes given the room's small size.
A Roman-era sculpture of the Three Graces, positioned at the center of the library room.
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