ABSTRACT
The Seminario Soleti existed from 1645 until 1783 and was founded by Federigo Soleti, a former orphan of the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital in Siena. Federigo Soleti became wealthy thanks to his employment by several cardinals and Pope Urban VIII in Rome. The Seminary provided an academic education for the twelve best orphans from the hospital school, allowing them to enter into well-paid and recognised professions. It was not just an example of an institutional educational system, but also an innovative programme of betterment, fostering social upgrade for abandoned children in Sienese society in early modern times.
