The recent X-ray history of NGC 5506

We present a detailed discussion of the spectral and spatial components of NGC 5506, based on XMM-Newton, Chandra and BeppoSAX observations. The overall picture consists of a nucleus absorbed by cold gas with column density of approximate to10(22) cm(-2) and surrounded by a Compton-thick torus, whose existence is inferred by a cold reflection component and an iron Kalpha line. On a much larger scale, a photoionized gas extended on approximate to350 pc reprocesses the nuclear radiation, producing a soft excess and ionized iron lines. Noteworthy, we find no evidence for the presence of the accretion disc.