DATE
01 JAN - 31 DEC
TIME
Half Day
PRICE - € 160
SIENA CLASSIC
SIENA AND ITS HISTORY
A walking tour to discover the town of Siena, a medieval box with unique artistic and architectural reserves. We will see the wonderful Piazza del Campo with its extraordinary Torre del Mangia, expression of an ancient glory, the Duomo, pearl of Italian Gothic, covered with coloured marble and statues. The Church dominates the surrounding space, protecting the old hospital of Santa Maria della Scala, a place of shelter for the pilgrims passed along the via Francigena. The medieval heritage is also visible in the traditional festival of the Palio horse race, strongly felt by the locals.
In the presence people with ambulation difficulties, the sections of the route having the biggest difference in level, will be avoided.
PROGRAM
SIENA CLASSIC
SAN DOMENICO
It was built in the early 13th century but it has undergone many changes over the centuries, following numerous fires and the earthquake of 1798, which led to the bell tower to be shortened. It’s a single nave Church because the Dominican order preferred large open spaces for preaching their flock. This church is not only important from an artistic point of view but also from a religious one, because it has been home to one of the Siena’s most venerated relics: the head of Saint Catherine, kept inside a chapel decorated by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as Sodoma, in the early 15th century. Inside the Church is also possible to see the only portrait of Saint Catherine, as it was painted while she was still alive.
PIAZZA SALIMBENI
This square is named after the Salimbeni family, very rich and powerful in Siena back in the Middle Ages, and the big stone building at the center was originally their residence. Today this is the headquarter of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena Bank, founded in 1472. It’s the oldest active bank in the world.
PIAZZA DEL CAMPO
It is the Siena’s main square; it is characterized by a very unusual shell form, the paving is made of bricks and divided into 9 sections in order to represent the government of the Nine Lords which ruled Siena between the end of the 13th century and the mid 14th century, Siena’s most illustrious years. The most important building is the City Hall, built in the Middle Ages to house the city government, this is still its function today. The tower is one of the highest in Italy and is called Torre del Mangia.
Piazza del Campo is also the square in which the famous Palio horse race takes place twice a year, every July 2nd and August 16th .
DUOMO
The Duomo is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it was built at top of the highest hill back in the Middle Ages. It wasn’t all built at the same time as it’s the result of centuries of works. The church is entirely covered with colored marble and the façade is decorated with statues depicting sibyls, prophets and evangelists. The interior contains works of art made by some of the most important masters in the history of European art, such as Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini and Pinturicchio. An absolute masterpiece is the Cathedral's grandiose marble inlay floor, which is unique both in terms of the technique used to make it and in terms of the message enshrined in its figured panel.
RECOMMENDED
- DUOMO DI SIENA
- PALAZZO PUBBLICO
The ticket price is not included in the tour
INFO / BOOK
€ 160
Book or Info.