Palazzo delle Papesse

Palazzo delle Papesse is a Renaissance palace on Siena's Via di Città, notable for its rusticated facade, interior frescoes and rooftop altana.

Why it matters

Commissioned for Caterina and Laudomia Piccolomini, sisters of Pope Pius II, the palace introduced Florentine Renaissance features—including rusticated stonework and a facade divided by cornices—onto Siena's principal street. It later served as a branch of the Banca d'Italia for about a century, while frescoed rooms and a rooftop altana remained part of the building.

What to notice

The facade has three storeys divided by strong horizontal cornices, with a rusticated portal below and two ranks of bifore windows above. Fourteenth- and fifteenth-century fresco cycles survive inside, reflecting the palace's earlier residential history. The rooftop altana forms part of the building's architectural composition. Lower vaulted spaces and a cellar level preserve further elements of its historic structure.

Context and history

The palace was built in the fifteenth century for Caterina and Laudomia Piccolomini, sisters of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, elected Pope Pius II in 1458. Its design is traditionally attributed to Bernardo Rossellino, architect of Pius II's Pienza. After the Piccolomini era it passed through private hands and later housed Siena's Banca d'Italia branch. Following restoration, it reopened in 1998 as Centro d'Arte Contemporanea Palazzo delle Papesse, a municipal contemporary-art centre noted for installation and video art. The centre closed in 2008. After a temporary exhibition revival in 2020, the palace returned to cultural use in 2024.