Church Santissima Annunziata - Siena

The oldest core of the chapel, which was founded as a "hospital chapel", is already documented in a donation deed dated 29 March 1090. The church must have been built in 1257, but was completely renovated in the second half of the 15th century by Guidoccio di Andrea , with the help of, among others, the famous Francesco di Giorgio, who is responsible for the (lost) decorations of the "noble tribune", ie the apse part itself, and that of the "palcho a scatole", ie the chests in the ceiling .

The Church of the Santissima Annunziata does not have its own facade: it is located within the complex of the Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala, on the side facing Piazza del Duomo.

the high altar
Unusual and at the same time monumental for its single large nave and high wooden coffered ceiling, the altar stands in an elevated position relative to the rest of the church, at the top of a broad staircase. In the presbytery, the side walls are therefore built to the height of the battlements of the adjacent rector's palace.

Along the walls of the nave are four marble side altars. Above the first altar on the right is the Assumption of Mary by Pietro Locatelli, on the opposite altar the Annunciation by Giovanni Maria Morandi, on the second altar on the left the Vision of Saint Therese by Ciro Ferri; originally on the second altar on the right was a painting by Antonio Nasini depicting Saint Frances of Rome, which has been lost; in its place is a painted crucifix from the 14th century.

The nave ends with the apse, which houses the great fresco by Sebastiano Conca, the last important commission of the adjacent hospital Santa Maria della Scala, with the Piscina probatica. Painted between 1731 and 1732 to replace the Coronation of the Virgin by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, it depicts the pool of Betzaeta, in Jerusalem, mentioned in the Gospel of John, which describes the sick at the pool. stand in the hope of a miraculous recovery.

The rectory is preceded by a high staircase and surrounded by a wooden balustrade. In the center is the marble high altar, topped by a bronze statue of the Risen Christ, a work by Lorenzo di Pietro, a masterpiece of the most expressive Sienese of the 15th century, often associated with the works in the city from Donatello. On the sides are two wax angels, also in bronze, from the 16th century, made by goldsmith and sculptor Accursio Baldi. The frontal part is decorated with the depicted Christ by Giuseppe Mazzuoli, while the marble statues that adorn the altar come from his workshop.
In the right choir loft is the pipe organ, built in 1514-1518 by Giovanni di Antonio Piffero. The organ is fully mechanically driven.

The instrument has a fully mechanical transmission and the console has windows. The latter has a single 47-note keyboard with first octave scavezza and is for a pedalboard. The registers are operated with metal rods placed on the side of the console.

The organ is housed in a richly decorated wooden case. The exposition is framed by two Corinthian pilasters supporting a cornice; it is set within three fields of round arches and is formed by main pipes with mouths aligned horizontally: the central field is further three-part, while each of the two side fields is topped by a dead organ.

Willem Vandenameele