Tourist Guide SIENA
Siena Tourism

PIAZZA DEL CAMPO

Piazza del Campo is certainly one of the most beautiful place in the world.  It was built in the beginning of the 1300. It could hold the entire population of the city. It was the just place for performances with jousting matches, bull races, playing to Elmora, Pugna or the Bufale race.  Its area is the precise meeting point of the three hills on which Siena is built. Piazza del Campo has witnessed the passage of memorable characters in the history of Siena. For example Santa Caterina and also artists such as Simone Martini or Jacopo della Quercia.
The paving is made of red bricks arranged in fishbone style. Here we find the marble of the Fonte Gaia, the masterpiece of Jacopo della Quercia, later replaced by a copy.
Then, there is also the Palazzo Comunale, built on the lowest part of the square, and Torre del Mangia. Piazza del Campo is not only an urban setting. In fact people meet there to go down to the market behind the Piazza Pubblico, to talk to friends, to enjoy the fresh during summer evening or to soak up the sun during the winter. This square is famous because twice a year, on July 2 and on August 16, hosts Palio. It is a horse race unique in the world. It confronts the seventeen historic quarters of Siena.
At other times of year, Piazza del Campo comes alive during the Carnival celebrations in February and the arts festival, with dance and music, organised by the town council in the final week of August.

 

DUOMO DI SIENA

Piazza del Duomo is dominated by the Siena’s cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta. The building stands over an existing church. The Cathedral of Siena is one of the most successful creations of Romanesque-Gothic Tuscan. The construction started in 1200. Cathedral present a Latin cross design of the church includes three naves and is sheathed in strips of alternating black and white marble, a reference to the black and white colours of the coat of arms of the city of Siena.
But the church was deemed insufficient for the needs of the city, which felt a strong need to compete against cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. So designs decided to build the largest cathedral in Europe. This construction was started in 1339, under the direction of Lando di Pietro. Following the precarious conditions of the town’s coffers after the great plague that hit Siena in 1348, people were forced to abandon the project and return to the original designs.
Today the facade has polychrome marble e a great number of sculptures. The lower section is Gothic-Romanesque; the upper section is in late-gothic style. The alternating white and black bell tower is Romanesque and rests on a previously existing tower. Its six orders of windows; they are crowned by an octagonal pyramid cusp with lateral pinnacles.
The interior of the Duomo presents a mysterious effect of shadows. Beside the Cathedral, you can enter at the Museo dell'Opera. Through a narrow path to a spiral staircase, you can leads to terraced areas from which you can enjoy a splendid view of the surrounding areas. Recently, the Dome has been refurbished. They were about two thousand square metres of stone and about one hundred statues those subject to restoration. The result is impressive: a facade with light colors, from yellow to pink, more like a jewellery that a stone structure.

 

BASILICA DI SAN DOMENICO

Basilica of San Domenico, built at the same time as the domenican convent, between 1225 and 1265, is gothic in its formation and it is constructed entirely in brick.
Inside, we find Chapel of the vaults. It presents the fresco by Andrea Vanni, painted in 1667. It is the only remaining work about Saint Catherine. The Chapel of Saint Catherine of Siena, moreover, preserves the remains of the head of the saint, kept on the wonderful marble altar, the work of the sculptor Giovanni di Stefano . In 1711 it was removed to a urn in the form of a lamp where it remained until 1947, when the Dominican Fathers decided to place it in its actual urn of silver in a niche resembling a small gothic temple. After two centuries of construction, Basilica was finally dedicated to St. Catherine.
The chapel is entirely covered in oils and wall paintings. For example, there are two famous masterpieces by Sodoma: the Rapture of Saint Catherine and the Eucharistic Vision.
But there are also some pictorial works by Francesco di Giorgio Martini: the Adoration of the Shepherds. Agiin, there is a large tavola by Sodoma, depicting the Eternal Father and Saints Vincenzo, Ludovico, Sebastiano and Catherine of Siena. In 1798, Basilica was destroyed by an earthquake, but after it was restored. During these years, Basilica underwent some radical changes. But today it is exactly as the Dominican Fathers have always wanted it to be and it has become an important centre of Christian spirituality. Here pilgrims are welcomed and where they can pray next to the sacred relics of St. Catherine.

 

BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA DI PROVENZANO

The Basilica of Santa Maria di Provenzano stands in the square Salvani in Sienza. It is in the area where there were houses made up by Provenzano Salvani, a famous political Sienese often cited by Dante Alighieri.
The building was erected starting in 1595 by the Turkish Flaminio and was solemnly consecrated in 1611. Basilica is characterized by simple lines. It is also the only building that presents inside a baroque style. He Latin cross plan, with a single aisle dome in the middle of the presbytery and a marble facade divided into two floors. On both sides, there are four niches with statues of saints.
In basilica you can find many works of art: the Mass of San Cerbone of Rutilio Manetti, Vision Santa Caterina of the martyrdom of San Lorenzo di Dionisio Montorselli and canvas with angels and saints Francesco Rustici. At the heart of these, Annunciata of Giandomenico Manenti.
On the altar, there is the bust of Madonna of Provenzano which is dedicated prize of 2 July. In fact drappellone is stored in the church until the day of the race, when it is brought in Piazza del Campo and then delivered the winning contrada. This last gives a sign of thanksgiving: he goes to the church and here intones the "Te Deum".

 

PALAZZO BUOSIGNORI

Palazzo Buonsignori, built in the second half of the 15th century, is the place where Pinacoteca Nazionale was born. Today, Pinacoteca Nazionale is one of Italy’s largest art collections composed chiefly of Senese School works from the 13th to the 17th century.
The first man who decided to begin this collection was the Abbot Giuseppe Ciaccheri. Then the catalogue has grown through bequests and donations. Italy assumed ownership of the collection in 1930 and so it was installed in Palazzo Buonsignori. Since 1977 the collection has also included the Spannocchi Collection, made up chiefly of northern and Flemish masters such as Dürer. In 1977 the Pinacoteca opened its Sala delle Sculture, a sculpture gallery which includes works by Senese masters from the 14th and 15th centuries. This hall was converted into the balcony on the first floor where you can admire the beautiful view of the city.
Senese School include works of general importance and of exceptional quality. On the second floor of the Pinacoteca, you can find Senese Primitives and painters from the 14th and 15th century, while the first floor presents artists from the second half of the 15th century. The ground floor contains a small collection of sculptures and drawings.
There are so numerous masterpieces in this collection. We can remember Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, the Lorenzetti brothers, Sodoma, Beccafumi and so on.

 

LE COLLINE DEL CHIANTI

The territory of Chianti is characterized by great hills and winding roads. It is very beautiful and you can find it in the center of Tuscany. It’s a very particular place. In fact you can discover medieval small hill towns, castles, churches, monasteries and villas. All this things attest to the talent of man and their creativity. Rows of vineyards, olive groves and forests, there is a great harmony around this places. The reputation of these areas is due to the production of Italian wine probably most famous. We are in a territory between Florence and Siena that extends for 70,000 hectares.
Chianti is characterized by the traditional form of container which is still used today for the sale. It is the “fiasco”, a bottle with a close neck. It is covered with straw. But these lands have another delicacy. It’s called Vin Santo and it is a precious nectar of golden color. It comes from dried grapes Trebbiano, Malvasia and Canaiolo and has an alcohol content between 14 and 17 degrees. It is usually accompanied by characteristic biscuits with almonds, the “cantuccini”. There are two principal roads traversing Chianti and this ways suggest two different “reading".
Along the via Cassia, you can see the road of the pilgrims on their medieval journey from Northern Europe to Rome. Via Chiantigiana, instead, is an agriculture road. This place offer an unforgettable passage through the seasonal colors and atmosphere of the seasons. But you can also discover isolated churches, castle and monasteries. They speaks about the rich history and art of Chianti. Today, Chianti is a land preferred by British and German tourists. In fact they love his vineyards and his kitchen.