How is Purgatory organized in Dante Alighieri’s Purgatorio?

In Dante Alighieri’s Purgatorio, the mountain of Purgatory is organized as a place where repentant souls undergo spiritual rehabilitation to be cleansed of their impurities.12

Unlike the nine circles of Hell, the structure of Purgatory is defined by seven terraces. These terraces correspond to the seven deadly sins, representing the specific areas of moral failing that the souls must purge before they can ascend to Paradise.2

As the pilgrim Dante climbs the mountain, he transitions from being an observer of the damned to an active participant in this process of spiritual growth. At the summit of the mountain lies the earthly paradise, where the protagonist is eventually met by Beatrice, who guides him toward the heavenly spheres.12