Things to see and do Siena

Historic centre of Siena, home of life and reference point whatever your itinerary, the "Campo" as the Sienese call it offers an extraordinary perspective. This famous square, one of the most beautiful in Italy, was built in 1293 according to an original design in the shape of an inverted shell that follows the natural shape of the land, divided into nine parts (symbol of the Council of Nine who watched over the city in the 13th and 14th centuries). It was here, over the centuries, that great speeches were proclaimed to the people, that clashes tore the city apart, that Saint Bernardine (1380-1444) preached and stigmatized the frivolity of Sienese women.

During the famous Palio, the red brick paving of the square is covered with sand and becomes a frantic race ground for raw horses.

In the centre, the Fonte Gaia fountain collects the spring water that flows down the slopes of the surrounding hills. Dating from the 15th century, it is the work of the sculptor Jacopo della Quercia. The marble ornaments depict the Creation of Adam, a Virgin and Child, the Virtues and Adam and Eve driven from Paradise (the originals are in the Palazzo Pubblico).

Around it are the Sansedoni Palace (13th century), the Elci degli Alessi Palace (16th century), the Town Hall (Palazzo Pubblico) built between 1284 and 1310, and its 102-metre medieval tower, one of the highest in Italy. All offer their superb facades, reflecting the power of the public and private city, and forming a harmonious monumental ensemble of rare beauty.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the oldest Gothic churches in Italy. A true stone book, it is also one of the most beautiful creations of Italian Romano-Gothic art, the construction of which lasted almost two centuries (12th and 14th centuries), a symbol of Siena's wealth and prosperity.

Most of its sumptuous façade,built between 1284 and 1299, is the work of Giovanni Pisano, although the bas-relief on the south side of the Pardon Gate is by Donatello (the original is in the Museum of the Work). The facade is composed of white, black and red marble, its three portals and colonnades are decorated with fine sculptures. The horizontal effect of the white and black marble stripes characterizes its bell tower dating from 1313.
The interioris remarkable with its height under the ceiling. At your feet, the coloured marble floor, finely worked and divided into 56 sacred and profane scenes, is exceptional. Unfortunately, it is not possible to see all of them at the same time because a part is covered to preserve them. The finesse of the whole, created between 1372 and 1547, is prodigious. When the German composer Richard Wagner visited the cathedral, he was "moved to tears by this show," his wife Cosima told in a letter written in 1880

, and the choir and high altar are byBaldassarre Peruzzi (1506). In the right transept, we can see a Baroque chapel attributed to Bernini, while the left transept houses the splendid pulpit with porphyry columns and green marble of Nicola Pisano, a marvel of Gothic sculpture, as well as works by Donatello (such as the bronze statue of Saint John the Baptist). There is also Michelangelo's Saint Paul (1502), probably a self-portrait.

The crypt, opened to the public in 2002, located under the duomo's pulpit, is a total surprise. There are frescoes from 1270-1275 in a remarkably preserved state. This cycle of paintings was made dry (pittura a secco) by several artists such as Guido da Siena, Dietisalvi di Speme, Guido di Graziano and Rinaldo da Siena. 180 m² of scenes including the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. Access is from the back of the main entrance of the cathedral, through the San Giovanni Baptistery.

Against the left side of the cathedral, the Libreria Piccolomini, built in 1495 by Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini Todeschini (future Pope Pius III), should not be missed.

A pleasant walk for the visitor, with a sad past. During the Middle Ages, death row inmates left prison under the Palazzo Pubblico, walked along Via dei Malcontenti (the "Street of the Dissatisfied") to Porta Giustizia. A few more steps and you arrive at Orto dei Pecci (open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 12:30 to 22:00), an area cultivated since the 16th century, with vegetable gardens, some animals, and offering a beautiful view of the Palazzo Pubblico and the torre del Mangia. "Per fare due passi", as the Italians say!

Piazza del Duomo, the religious heart of Siena, is now a compulsory point of passage for your walk in the city! The Plaza del Duomo is bordered by the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital, the neo-Gothic palace of the archbishopric (palazzo Arcivescovile), the palace of the Governor of the Medicis and the superb, splendid, magnificent (words are missing...) Cathedral Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, a masterpiece of Sienese Gothic. In the shape of an "L", the Place du Dôme continues towards Piazza Jacopo della Quercia on the right side of the cathedral.

Located at the intersection of Città, Banchi di Sotto and Banchi di Sopra streets, the loggia della Mercanzia, an elegant building between late Gothic and Renaissance, once housed the Siena Commercial Court. Built between 1428 and 1445, this pretty portico is known for the statues representing the city's patron saints, which adorn its pilasters: San Savino, Sant'Ansano, San Vittore, San Pietro and San Paolo. On the sides, finely carved marble benches represent philosophers of antiquity.

Fontebranda means Siena! With its brick arches, this old fountain, begun in 1193, was used to quench the population's thirst, to local industries, especially tanners, and as a watering place for animals. The water came from an extraordinary network of underground aqueducts, dug into the rock. Given the crucial importance of water for the city, Fontebranda was one of the nerve centres of Sienese daily life. Sung by Dante, told by Alfieri, Fontebranda is the city's most famous and ancient source.