Entrance of the Cloister of Casa di Santa Caterina

As the name suggests, this is the former home of Saint Catherine of Siena, the town's patron saint, who lived from 1347-80. It is now a cloister and chapel. The chapel, decorated by seventeenth century paintings of events of her life, was built directly above Saint Catherine's girlhood home. You can see some of the old rooms, including a bedroom, the kitchen, and a well, from inside and below the chapel.

Saint Catherine is famous both for receiving the stigmata and for her persuasion of Pope Gregory XI to return the seat of the papacy to Rome in 1376, following 67 years of exile to Avignon, France. She died in Rome and was canonized in 1461.

LENS: 28-70 at ~45mm | FILM: Fuji Provia 100F | EXPOSURE: f/8 at ~10" | DATE: 10/03

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