Siena is one of the most famous cities in Tuscany, rich in art and history, and characterized by strong traditions linked to the famous “Palio di Siena”, which is still running since 1633. The city has remained intact as in the Middle Ages and it brings you back in time, its color "Terra di Siena" is common to the facades of the buildings, and makes the city harmonious, beautiful to look at and difficult to forget.
Piazza del Campo
Palazzo Pubblico
Torre del Mangia
Museo Civico
Il Duomo di Siena
Museo del Duomo di Siena
Il Battistero
La Pinacoteca Nazionale
Piazza del Campo
Piazza del Campo is one of a kind. The characteristic shape of a shell with 9 segments, a detail that can only be admired from the top of the Torre del Mangia, has always played a crucial role over the centuries for the life of its citizens. Since 1300 it has served as a market and gathering place for the Sienese during important political moments, parties and games. It hosts the famous Palio twice a year, every 2nd of July and 16th of August.
The Palazzo Pubblico of Siena
The Palazzo Pubblico of Siena represents the political power of the city, where all the rulers of Siena have resided since the famous "Governo dei Nove” (Government of the Nine), which in 1300 made the city as beautiful as we see it today. In the Palace there is the Civic Museum of Siena, with the famous frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti which illustrates the Allegory of the Good and Bad Government.
The Torre del Mangia
Once you have climbed the 300 and more steps to reach the top, you can admire the famous "shell" of Piazza del Campo and the breathtaking view of the city and its roofs. The tower takes its name from Giovanni di Duccio, the bell ringer who spent all his earnings in the taverns of Siena, which gave him the nickname “Mangiaguadagni” (eating all his earnings), hence "Torre del Mangia".
The Civic Museum
The Civic Museum of Siena contains one of the most famous allegories in the world: that of the Bad and the Good Government, painted on the walls by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. This allegory tells how the way of governing is the element that decides the well-being or decadence of a society: it is certainly worth a visit.
The Cathedral of Siena
The Cathedral, dedicated to Maria Assunta, fascinates not only for its majestic black and white facade, but above all for the treasures kept inside: the floor is a sculpted masterpiece full of esoteric symbols and religious stories that illustrate the Bible since the Old Testament. In the Cathedral there are other jewels, such as the library and the Piccolomini chapel, which host frescoes by Pinturicchio and statues by Michelangelo.
The Duomo Opera Museum
This museum hosts numerous works, including the Tondo di Donatello which depicts a Madonna and Child. But the most popular part is the façade, the panoramic terrace where you can admire the Duomo from above and the roofs of the city.
The Baptistery
For many centuries all the Sienese, illustrious and otherwise, were baptized under the pointed vault of the Baptistery. The bronze and marble baptismal font was decorated with the contribution of numerous artists, including Donatello, who created the bronze angels that decorate the ciborium.
The National Art Gallery
The art gallery essentially documents the evolution of Sienese painting from the 13th to the 18th century. The visit to the museum starts from the second floor (XII-XV centuries), where the most important masterpieces by Duccio (Madonna dei Francescani), Simone Martini, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti (The Little Majesty) and many others are found.
