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DISCOVERING
THE Cities
The
first itinerary to discover one of the most important historical
and artistic Cities starts at Piazza del Campo, the landmark
of Siena and goes to the Duomo.
|
Atmosphere
of the past |
| The
elegance of Siena |
| The
Palio of Siena |
| Sienese
pastries |
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Piazza del Campo, the oldest part
of Siena with its civic centre, was raised on the remains of
the Foro Romano. It is a big open shell-shaped square which
was divided into nine sectors by white marble lines, representing
the members of the Guelph government called dei Nove (Council
of Nine) in 1347. Piazza del Campo, the place where the Palio
di Siena is held, is surrounded by sober Medieval and Gothic
palaces, while you find the beautiful Fonte Gaia, in
the middle of the square, a masterpiece by Jacopo della Quercia.
The most beautiful monuments of the square, the Palazzo Pubblico
with the Torre del Mangia and the embattled Palazzo
Sansedoni date from the same prosperous period of the government
dei Nove. The Palazzo Civico , the symbol of the building's
power, from the 14th century is one of the most important Italian
examples of Gothic architecture. Entering the courtyard of the
building you get to the Museo Civico, a real jewel which
holds works by Simone Martini, Ambrogio Lorenzetti,
Pinturicchio, Salimbeni and by Flemish, Dutch
and Spanish artists.
Walking along Via Pellegrini you arrive to the Baptistery
of Siena, raised to be the baptismal parish church of the
Cities in the 14th century. It features a beautiful font by
Jacopo della Quercia, with bronze panels in relief by Donatello,
Lorenzo Ghiberti and Giovanni di Turino. The fresco
from the 15th century illustrating the commandments and other
holy events is marvellous. Taking the flights of stairs from
the 15th century you get to the Piazza del Duomo, dominated
by the powerful cathedral with a façade covered with
alternating bands of white and black marble. The
Duomo di Siena is worth a visit only for its splendid
floor, an admirable work made between 1373 and 1547. The floor
of the Duomo, a unique example in the world, is divided in 52
panels and decorated with inlaid marble and graffiti designs.
Artists such as Pinturicchio, Matteo di Giovanni,
Francesco di Giorgio e Domenico Beccafumi were
involved in the making of the floor. The building of the Duomo
began in 1150 but it was only completed in the 14th century.
The splendid façade was made by Giovanni Pisano
and features a splendid tondo by Donatello dedicated to the
Madonna del Perdono. The Duomo's interior, with a Romanesque
base, preserves splendid masterpieces such as the statues by
Michelangelo on both sides of the altar and the Madonna
col Bambino by Jacopo della Quercia. In the interior you
also find the Libreria Piccolomini, a big architectural
complex which was started in 1492 on the will of the Cardinal
Francesco Piccolomini in honour of Pope Pius II, to house his
books. Pinturicchio covered the library with frescoes between
1505 and 1507, depicting 10 events of the life of Pius II. Piazza
del Duomo, the religious heart of the Cities, is lined with
other precious buildings such as the Prefettura, the
Arcivescovado and the Spedale di Santa Maria della
Scala, which also houses the Museo Archeologico.
The Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala is a vast complex that
features masterpieces of the most important Sienese artists.
It is the first European example of a former hospital transformed
into a cultural centre. To visit, the main ward, called the
Pellegrinaio, which houses series of frescoes depicting the
daily life of the hospital, and the Chiesa di Santa Maria della
Scala, founded in 1200 and completely rebuilt during the Renaissance.
In the interior of the complex you find the Museo Archeologico
Nazionale with Palaeolithic, Etruscan and Roman remains, and
traces an interesting historical and archaeological path of
the Sienese region.
Together with the Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala, the Museo
dell’Opera Metropolitana is a fine example of how Siena
has preserved its artistic heritage. Founded in 1879 by the
Headmaster Ferdinando Rubini, the museum shows the artworks
from the Duomo and the Convents of the region. The Museo dell'Opera
Metropolitana exposes the works in 13 rooms and its main draw
is the “Maestà” by Duccio di Buoninsegna. Masterpieces
from the Sienese school, the marble statues by Giovanni Pisano,
a beautiful collection of gold-works and the magnificent statues
by Nicola Pisano, Donatello, Urbano da Cortona,
Jacopo della Quercia are represented in the museum. From
the top of the museum you have a superb view over the Cities
and the Sienese countryside. |
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