The 18th century church of Santa Caterina da Siena a Via Giulia, which belongs to the Confraternita di Santa Caterina da Siena dei Senesi, was built by Paolo Posi (1708-76), an architect who hailed from Siena.
The Balzana of Siena
The entrance of the church is surmounted by the Balzana, the emblem of Siena.
For centuries, the good citizens of Siena peddled the myth that their city was founded by Senius and Ascius, the sons of Remus, the twin brother of Romulus (the legendary founder of Rome). The story goes that, when fleeing Rome after Romulus murdered their father, one brother rode a white horse the other a black one, which gave rise to the Balzana.
The Balzana takes the form of two horizontal bands, the upper white, the lower black, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. Needless to say, Siena's enemies had a rather different take; white signifies how the Sienese talk and black how they think.
Interior
The interior, flags of the seventeen contrade of Siena are on display, takes the form of a single nave, which is flanked by side chapels.
The Mystical Marriage of St Catherine
The altarpiece in the sanctuary depicts The Mystical Marriage of St Catherine by Gaetano Lapis.
St Catherine Welcomes Pope Gregory XI Returning from Avignon
The enormous fresco in the conch of the apse depicts St Catherine Welcome Pope Gregory XI Returning from Avignon (1773) by Lorenzo Pecheux.