The treasure of Santa Maria della Scala

In 1359, the Santa Maria della Scala hospital, supported by the Municipality of Siena, acquired a valuable collection of relics from Byzantium, including the Holy Nail, an object of great veneration. These relics were kept in a special chapel, the Chapel of the Mantle, where a chest was built to preserve them. The Municipality of Siena also committed to creating an appropriate setting for the display of the relics, demolishing a bishop’s loggia and modifying the square to enhance the cult. The aim was political, economic, and religious: to promote the image of Siena internationally, attract pilgrims, and strengthen the sense of community, especially after the crisis caused by the plague of 1348. Later, in 1443, the relics were moved to the Old Sacristy, where they remained on display until 1778, when they were transferred to the adjacent church, where they stayed until the 1990s. During the restoration work of the entire building, the Treasure was uncovered and displayed to the public in the Old Sacristy, where it is still located today.