The nativity scene in the city of Siena, in search of the perfect Christmas atmosphere

Siena and its nativity scenes

The Christmas period brings cities to decorate their streets and squares with lights and Christmas trees, but nativity scenes are an absolute must , set up both in churches and in the squares.

The city of Siena is no exception, from the traditional nativity scene set up on platform 1 of the train station, to the life-size nativity scene in the Church of the Osservanza, and the nativity scene at the Sanctuary of Santa Caterina.

For us at Nannini, this is precisely the magic of Christmas: rediscovering Siena's traditions. Between family dinners and traditional recipes, you can't help but admire the city of the Palio with its lights, but above all, its nativity scenes. That's why we're so keen to introduce you to the many nativity scenes in Siena.

The nativity scene of the Duomo

From an idea conceived by the young people of the Cathedral Parish in 1996, every year a nativity scene worthy of the beauty of Siena Cathedral is created. New volunteers and new materials are added each year to create something new, to create a unique nativity scene every time.

The materials laboratory is located in the parish rooms and over the course of these 24 years has seen the creation of giant comets, fountains, polystyrene walls, etc.

The creation of the Duomo's nativity scene has become a true event, bringing the community together to create something magnificent that is admired by hundreds of people every year.

The life-size nativity scene of the Osservanza church

The Church of the Osservanza is located on the Capriola hill in Siena and during the Christmas period it hosts a life-size nativity scene.

The parishioners of the Church of the Osservanza set up the nativity scene in a scenic diorama, with life-size statues. This scenic nativity scene represents the Nativity in all its magnificence.

In addition to the life-size nativity scene, inside the Church of the Osservanza you can find smaller nativity scenes at every corner. These "smaller" nativity scenes are made of various materials; for example, you might find a nativity scene made of wood, another made of paper or ceramic, etc.

In Siena, in the Church of the Osservanza, you can find a Christmas atmosphere full of creativity, with various nativity scenes that stand out inside the church.

The nativity scene of the Sanctuary of Santa Caterina

The Sanctuary of Santa Caterina is located in Siena on the Costa di Sant'Antonio and every year, during the Christmas period, a nativity scene is set up inside the Church of the Sanctuary.

The nativity scene set up in the church depicts the Bethlehem cave, surrounded by a few figurines and many angels. For twenty years, the nativity scene has been set up by Sister Maria Beatrice.

Before the nun created this simple nativity scene, which transports the viewer into a perfect Christmas atmosphere, the scene was overseen by the Rector of the Sanctuary. The Rector enjoyed making the nativity scene artistic, and for this reason he often called in outside helpers to create a realistic setting.

The nativity scene of the Misericordia of Siena

The nativity scene at the Misericordia in Siena is one of the city's most popular, thanks primarily to its beauty and the attention to detail in all its elements. Every year, this nativity scene is set up in the atrium on Via del Porrione.

In this nativity scene, you can admire the alternation of day and night, so you can also see the comet that crosses the sky depicted in the nativity scene from left to right to reach the hut where the statuette of Jesus resides.

By admiring the nativity scene of the Misericordia of Siena, therefore, you can fully relive the Christmas atmosphere , admiring what the volunteers have created down to the smallest details.

The nativity scene on platform 1

It may be a somewhat unusual location for a nativity scene, but platform 1 of Siena's train station has been home to a beautiful nativity scene for years.

The nativity scene located on platform 1 is an eighteenth-nineteenth-century style nativity scene and is enriched with over four hundred sound, light, and movement effects.

The creation of this almost surreal nativity scene is due to Mr. Giancarlo Palazzi, who, thanks to his imagination, brought this work to life, which has continued to grow over the years.

These are some of the nativity scenes you can see while visiting Siena. Perhaps, between visits to one nativity scene and another, you can stop to enjoy one of the traditional Christmas sweets at Nannini.