New multimedia paths at Santa Maria della Scala and Siena Cathedral crypts

Starting June 23, the Divina Bellezza project reopens Siena's Oratorio di San Giovannino to the public for the first time, offering new multimedia tours of the Cathedral crypts and the former hospital of Santa Maria della Scala. The initiative aims to provide millions of tourists, especially foreigners, with deeper insights into two of the city's most significant buildings. The Opera del Duomo, celebrating 700 years since the Cathedral's expansion, inaugurates 'Sotto il Duomo, percorsi di luce,' a path from the Baptistery through ancient granary halls (still under restoration) to the Oratorio. A 3D film with audioguide is projected inside the Oratorio, but critic Niccolò Lucarelli argues it prioritizes superficial spectacle over authentic appreciation, obscuring the 17th-century frescoes. Similarly, the 'Nello Spazio, nel Tempo' video mapping installations at Santa Maria della Scala are criticized for placing empty cinematic images between visitors and the historic structure.