The Hall
The Sala del Mappamondo is a monumental, frescoed room on the first floor of Siena‘s Palazzo Pubblico. It acquired its current appearance around the 14th century, although most of the frescoes date to the next two centuries. It is the largest room in the Palazzo Pubblico, as it was long used for meetings of the General Council of our Republic. It houses Simone Martini’s ‘Maestà’, which depicts the Madonna and Child surrounded by angels and patron saints of the city. The Virgin assures her interlocutors that she will watch over Siena as long as they are pious and honest towards her.
The room has a wooden roof, a rectangular shape, and is pompously decorated with arches, large Gothic windows and frescoed walls.
The name of the hall derives from a globe that was on display inside seven centuries ago; the work was a creation of Ambrogio Lorenzetti and was so famous at the time that the hall still bears his name, even though the globe is no longer part of the decorations. Lorenzetti’s 14th-century globe was probably a large rotating disc representing the Sienese Republic with images dedicated to individual localities.
The hall, like many other historical venues within the Sienese palaces, has been strategically reopened for weddings since around 2019, opening the track of civil marriage tourism in Siena as well. Surrounded by such history and prestige, getting married inside the Sala del Mappamondo is a true noble honour; the high ceilings and frescoed walls create a magical atmosphere perfect for crowning your big day.