Siena is a city in the Tuscany region of Italy, about 70 km south of
Florence. It is famous for its bi-annual horse race, the Palio,
but this is just one of its many visitor attractions. One of the
best preserved medieval cities in Italy, Siena has a distinctive charm
and offers a wealth of historic monuments, churches and museums within
its city walls. Situated in one of the most beautiful regions of
Italy, a region renowned for its culture and cuisine, and with so many
sites of interest, it is little wonder that Siena is one of the
country's most visited attractions.
Siena was originally inhabited by the Saina, an Etruscan hill tribe, in the first millennium BC. Some time in the first century AD, the Romans founded a town named Saena Julia on the site of present day Siena. Situated far from the important roads, Siena did not prosper in Roman times. It fared better under the rule of the Lombards, who rerouted much of their trade through the town. In the 8th century, control of Siena passed to the Franks under Charlemagne and the city was a feudal state governed by its nobility. By the 12th century, Siena had become a thriving autonomous city-state, prospering from the wool trade and money lending. Its university, one of the most important in Italy, was founded in 1240, and in 1260, the city scored a decisive military victory over its neighbour and enemy, Florence. From the 13th century, Siena became an important centre of Renaissance art, rivalling Florence in the quality and abundance of its artistic endeavour. The city's irreversible decline began in the 14th century, partly through the Black Death, which decimated its population. 1472 saw the creation of the Monte dei Paschi bank, which is still in business and is the oldest surviving bank in the world. In the 15th century, the control of Siena passed between various rival noble factions and was captured by Spain in 1555. It then became part of the Duchy of Tusancy, where it remained until the creation of a united Italy in 1861.
Siena is best-known for its well-preserved medieval old city, which
bears testimony to its wealth and importance in the Middle Ages and
Renaissance. A good place to start a tour of Siena is the
oval-shaped Piazza del Campo
(also known as Il Campo), at
the heart of the city centre - this was originally a Roman forum.
Lined with cafés, restaurants and several important historical
buildings, this is the setting of the famous bi-annual Palio
horserace. Its most important building is the Palazzo Pubblico, which was built
in the late 13th century as the seat of the republican government but
now functions as the City Hall. Most of the rooms in the
palace are richly adorned with frescos which, unusually, depict secular
rather than religious subjects. Its bell tower (Torre del Mangia), designed by the
painter Lippo Memmi, is 102 metres high and offers some amazing views
of the city, for those hardy enough to climb its 505 steps. The
Palazzo contains a museum with some impressive examples of Sienese art,
including some 14th century frescos by Simone Martini.
The Duomo (Cathedrale di Santa Maria), Siena's cathedral, is sited up the hill, to the southwest of the Piazza del Campo. Founded in the 12th century, this is a superb example of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Its distinctive features are its black-and-white tiled bell tower, its interior marble floor and mosaics, its octagonal pulpit and a medieval crypt. Adjoining the Duomo is the Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana, which exhibits some of the art treasures originally contained in the cathedral, including Duccio's famous altarpiece, the Maestà.
Situated between the Via della Sapienza and the Via Santa Caterina is the Casa di Santa Caterina, the house in which Italy's patron saint, St Caterina Benincasa, was born in 1347. The house was converted into a sanctuary in 1466 and remains a tranquil refuge. The old family kitchen now serves as an oratory, adorned with paintings by artists such as Il Pomarancio and Francesco Vanni. The Oratorio di San Bernardino (Oratory of San Bernardino), on the Piazza San Franceso, was built in the 15th century and marks the spot where St Bernardine gave his first sermon. Both levels of the oratory are lavishly decorated with frescos from the 16th and 17th centuries. There is also a museum which contains a few religious artefacts and undistinguished paintings.
Dominating the Piazza San Giovanni is the Palazzo del Magnifico, a grand Renaissance palace built for Pandolfo Petrucci, one of Siena's rulers in the 16th century. On the same square is the Battistero di San Giovanni, a baptistery with a striking Gothic façade, built in the early 14th century. Its main feature is its octagonal font, fashioned in marble, bronze and vitreous enamel by Donatello, Ghiberti and Jacopo della Quercia. There are also impressive 15th century frescos by Vecchietta. The Palazzo Salimbeni is situated on the Piazza Salimbeni, a 14th century palace which was restored in the neo-Gothic style in the late 19th century. This is the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi, one of the Italy's leading banks, established in 1472. Next to this is the Palazzo Spannocchi, a Renaissance palace designed by the Florentine architect Giuliano da Maiano in 1470, with a façade by Giuseppe Partini.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale is Siena's national museum, housed in the 14th century Palazzo Buonsignori. It has an impressive collection of Sienese paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries. The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena is a substantial botanical garden, which is maintained by the University of Siena. It covers an area of 2.5 hectares and comprises beautifully arranged flowerbeds, greenhouses with tropical plants and succulents and a large area given over to fruit production.
The nearest commercial airports to Siena are at Florence (51 km), Pisa (87 km) and Bologna (132 km). Siena's train station is 2 km from the city centre (at the bottom of a hill outside the city walls) and offers a regular rail service to other cities in Italy, including Florence, Pisa, Milan and Rome. Buses run frequently from the city centre (Piazza del Sale) to the train station. Alternatively, there is a bus service from Siena to Florence and other Italian cities (including Milan and Rome), buses departing from Piazza Gramsci in the city centre. Cars are prohibited in the city centre.
Siena was originally inhabited by the Saina, an Etruscan hill tribe, in the first millennium BC. Some time in the first century AD, the Romans founded a town named Saena Julia on the site of present day Siena. Situated far from the important roads, Siena did not prosper in Roman times. It fared better under the rule of the Lombards, who rerouted much of their trade through the town. In the 8th century, control of Siena passed to the Franks under Charlemagne and the city was a feudal state governed by its nobility. By the 12th century, Siena had become a thriving autonomous city-state, prospering from the wool trade and money lending. Its university, one of the most important in Italy, was founded in 1240, and in 1260, the city scored a decisive military victory over its neighbour and enemy, Florence. From the 13th century, Siena became an important centre of Renaissance art, rivalling Florence in the quality and abundance of its artistic endeavour. The city's irreversible decline began in the 14th century, partly through the Black Death, which decimated its population. 1472 saw the creation of the Monte dei Paschi bank, which is still in business and is the oldest surviving bank in the world. In the 15th century, the control of Siena passed between various rival noble factions and was captured by Spain in 1555. It then became part of the Duchy of Tusancy, where it remained until the creation of a united Italy in 1861.
The Duomo (Cathedrale di Santa Maria), Siena's cathedral, is sited up the hill, to the southwest of the Piazza del Campo. Founded in the 12th century, this is a superb example of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Its distinctive features are its black-and-white tiled bell tower, its interior marble floor and mosaics, its octagonal pulpit and a medieval crypt. Adjoining the Duomo is the Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana, which exhibits some of the art treasures originally contained in the cathedral, including Duccio's famous altarpiece, the Maestà.
Situated between the Via della Sapienza and the Via Santa Caterina is the Casa di Santa Caterina, the house in which Italy's patron saint, St Caterina Benincasa, was born in 1347. The house was converted into a sanctuary in 1466 and remains a tranquil refuge. The old family kitchen now serves as an oratory, adorned with paintings by artists such as Il Pomarancio and Francesco Vanni. The Oratorio di San Bernardino (Oratory of San Bernardino), on the Piazza San Franceso, was built in the 15th century and marks the spot where St Bernardine gave his first sermon. Both levels of the oratory are lavishly decorated with frescos from the 16th and 17th centuries. There is also a museum which contains a few religious artefacts and undistinguished paintings.
Dominating the Piazza San Giovanni is the Palazzo del Magnifico, a grand Renaissance palace built for Pandolfo Petrucci, one of Siena's rulers in the 16th century. On the same square is the Battistero di San Giovanni, a baptistery with a striking Gothic façade, built in the early 14th century. Its main feature is its octagonal font, fashioned in marble, bronze and vitreous enamel by Donatello, Ghiberti and Jacopo della Quercia. There are also impressive 15th century frescos by Vecchietta. The Palazzo Salimbeni is situated on the Piazza Salimbeni, a 14th century palace which was restored in the neo-Gothic style in the late 19th century. This is the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi, one of the Italy's leading banks, established in 1472. Next to this is the Palazzo Spannocchi, a Renaissance palace designed by the Florentine architect Giuliano da Maiano in 1470, with a façade by Giuseppe Partini.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale is Siena's national museum, housed in the 14th century Palazzo Buonsignori. It has an impressive collection of Sienese paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries. The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena is a substantial botanical garden, which is maintained by the University of Siena. It covers an area of 2.5 hectares and comprises beautifully arranged flowerbeds, greenhouses with tropical plants and succulents and a large area given over to fruit production.
The nearest commercial airports to Siena are at Florence (51 km), Pisa (87 km) and Bologna (132 km). Siena's train station is 2 km from the city centre (at the bottom of a hill outside the city walls) and offers a regular rail service to other cities in Italy, including Florence, Pisa, Milan and Rome. Buses run frequently from the city centre (Piazza del Sale) to the train station. Alternatively, there is a bus service from Siena to Florence and other Italian cities (including Milan and Rome), buses departing from Piazza Gramsci in the city centre. Cars are prohibited in the city centre.
Also in Italy:
Top tourist attractions in Siena, Italy:
- Casa di Santa Caterina
- Cathedrale di Santa Maria
- Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana
- Oratorio di San Bernardino
- Orto Botanico dell'Universita
- Palazzo Pubblico
- Palazzo Salimbeni
- Palazzo Spannocchi
- Palazzo del Magnifico
- Piazza del Campo
- Pinacoteca Nazionale
- Torre del Mangia
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