Piazza del Campo - panoramic view
The historic center of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage
Site.
History
Siena, like many other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of
the Etruscans (c. 900 BC to 400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe
called the Saina.
Panorama of Siena at dusk.
The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central
Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable
land, and their custom of building their settlements in heavily armoured
hill-forts. It has been argued that their Pagan society which practiced
matrilineal inheritance, and was devoted to their goddesses was one of
the reasons why Roman Goddesses such as Diana and, with the arrival of
Christianity, the Virgin Mary came to be of such importance to the
people of the Italian peninsula. If this is true, it suggests that the
Cult of the Virgin which is omnipresent in the fabric of Siena's ancient
stones has an origin which is older still.
What we can say for certain is that the Romans founded a town called
Saenna Julia on the site of a pre-existing Etruscan settlement, and from
this has grown modern Siena. Siena may then have been under the control
of invading Gaulish forces – who are known to have sacked Rome in 390
BC. Some archaeologists assert it was controlled for a period by a
Gaulish tribe called the Saenones.
The Roman origin accounts for the town’s emblem – a she-wolf suckling the
infants’ Romulus and Remus. According to legend, Siena was founded by
Senius, son of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom
Rome was named. Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling
the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of
Siena. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name
"Saina", the Roman family name of the "Saenii", or the Latin word
"senex" ("old") or the derived form "seneo", "to be old".
Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major
roads and therefore missed out on the resulting opportunities for trade.
Its insular status meant that Christianity did not penetrate until the
Fourth Century AD, and it was not until the Lombards invaded Siena and
the surrounding territory that it knew prosperity. Their occupation and
the fact that the old Roman roads of Aurelia and the Cassia passed
through areas exposed to Byzantine raids, caused the roads between the
Lombards Northern possessions and Rome to be re-routed through Siena.
The inevitable consequence of this was that Siena prospered as a trading
post, and the constant streams of pilgrims passing to and from Rome were
to prove a valuable source of income in the centuries to come.
The oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards
surrender in 774 to Charlemagne. At this point the city was inundated
with a swarm of Frankish overseers who married into the existing Sienese
nobility, and left a legacy that can be seen in the abbeys they founded
throughout Sienese territory. Feudal power waned however, and by the
death of Countess Matilda in 1115 the Mark of Tuscia which had been
under the control of her family – the Canossa – broke up into several
autonomous regions.
Siena prospered under the new arrangements, becoming a major centre of
money lending and an important player in the wool trade. It was governed
at first directly by its Bishop, but episcopal power declined during the
1100s. The bishop was forced to concede a greater say in the running of
the city to the nobility in exchange for their help during a territorial
dispute with Arezzo, and this started a process which culminated in 1167
when the commune of Siena declared its independence from episcopal
control. By 1179, it had a written constitution.
This period was also crucial in shaping the Siena we know today. It was
during the 1100s that the majority of the construction of the Duomo,
Siena’s cathederal, was completed. It was also during this period that
the Piazza del Campo, now regarded as one of the most beautiful civic
spaces in Europe, grew in importance as the centre of secular life. New
streets were constructed leading to it and it served as the site of the
market, and the location of many sporting events (perhaps better thought
of as riots, in the fashion of the Florentine football matches that are
still practised to this day). A wall was constructed in 1194 at the
current site of the Palazzo Pubblico to stop soil erosion, an indication
of how important the area was becoming as a civic space.
Medieval coin from Siena (12th century).
In the early 12th century a self-governing commune replaced the earlier
aristocratic government. The consuls who governed the republic slowly
became more inclusive of the poblani, or common people, and the Commune
increased its territory as the surrounding feudal nobles in their
fortified castles submitted to the urban power. Siena's republic,
struggling internally between nobles and the popular party, usually
worked in political opposition to its great rival, Florence, and was in
the 13th century predominantly Ghibelline in opposition to Florence's
Guelph position (the backdrop for Dante's Commedia).
On September 4, 1260 The Sieneses Ghibellines, supported by the forces of
King Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine Guelphs at Montaperti.
The Sienese faced an overwhelming Florentine army. Prior to the battle,
the entire city was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and entrusted to her
possession – something which has been renewed several times since, most
recently in 1944 to guard the city from the threat of Allied bombs. The
man given command of Siena for the duration of the war, Bonaguida Lucari
walked barefoot and bareheaded, a halter around his neck, to the Duomo.
Leading a procession composed of all the city’s residents, he was met by
all the clergy. Lucari and the Bishop embraced, to show the unity of
church and state, then Luceri formally gave the city and contrade to the
Virgin. Legend has it that a thick white cloud descended on the
battlefield, giving the Sienese cover and aiding their attack. They
inflicted a crushing defeat and massacred the forces of their enemy, so
crushing was the defeat that even today if the two cities meet in any
sporting event, the Sienese supporters are likely to exhort their
Florentine counterparts to “Remember Montaperti!”.
Siena's university, founded in 1203 and famed for its faculties of law and
medicine, is still among the most important Italian universities. Siena
rivalled Florence in the arts through the 13th and 14th centuries: the
important late medieval painter Duccio (1253–1319) was a Senese but
worked across the peninsula, and the mural of "Good Government" by
Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Palazzo Pubblico, or town hall, is a
magnificent example of late-Medieval/early Renaissance art as well as a
representation of the utopia of urban society as conceived during that
period. Siena was devastated by the Black Plague of 1348 and never
recovered its earlier glory, losing out to Florence in inter-urban
rivalry. Siena retained its independence in Tuscany until 1557.
The picturesque city remains an important cultural centre, especially for
humanist disciplines.
Siena's Duomo.
The Piazza Del Campo.
Art and architecture
Siena's cathedral, the Duomo, begun in the 12th century, is one of the
great examples of Italian romanesque architecture. Its main facade was
completed in 1380. Its campanile and baptistry make a fine group. It is
unique among Christian cathedrals in that its axis runs north-south.
This is because it was originally intended to be the largest cathedral
in existence, with a north-south transept and an east-west aisle, as is
usual. After the completion of the transept and the building of the east
wall (which still exists and may be climbed by the public via an
internal staircase) the money ran out and the rest of the cathedral was
abandoned.
Inside is the famous Gothic octagonal pulpit by Nicola Pisano (1266–1268)
supported on lions, and the labyrinth inlaid in the flooring, traversed
by penitents on their knees. Within the Sacristy are some perfectly
preserved renaissance frescos by Ghirlandaio Beneath the Duomo, in the
baptistry is the marvelous baptismal font with bas-reliefs by Donatello,
Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia and other 15th-century sculptors. The
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo contains Duccio's famous Maestà (1308–1311)
and various other works by Sienese masters. More Sienese paintings are
to be found in the Pinacoteca.
The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town square, which houses the
Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, is another architectural
treasure, and is famous for hosting the Palio. The Palazzo Pubblico,
itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art
museum. Included within the museum is Ambrogio Lorenzetti's series of
frescos on the good government and the results of good and bad
government.
On the Piazza Salimbeni is the Palazzo Salimbeni, a notable building and
also the medieval headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the
oldest banks in continuous existence and a major player in the Sienese
economy.
Housed in the beautiful Gothic Palazzo Chigi on Via di Città is the
Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena's conservatory of music. The Medicean
Fortress houses the Enoteca Italiana and the Siena Jazz School, with
courses and concerts all the year long and a major festival during the
International Siena Jazz Masterclasses. Over two weeks more than 30
concerts and jam sessions are held in the two major town squares, on the
terrace in front of the Enoteca, in the gardens of the Contrade clubs,
and in many historical towns and villages of the Siena province. Siena
is also home of Sessione Senese per la Musica e l'arte (SSMA), a summer
music program for musicians, is a fun/learning musical summer
experience.
Façade of the Town Hall during the Palio days.
Sports
Siena has enjoyed a long tradition in sports. Basketball and football are
perhaps the most popular in Siena. However, other sports such as rugby,
baseball, and track-and-field are also widely practiced.
Professional sports
The Football Association of Siena was founded in 1904, and established in
1908. It has participated in the National Championship of Football in
Series "A" (The highest level of the Italian football leagues) since the
2003-2004 season. The football club A.C. Siena, play their games at the
Stadio Artemio Franchi. The premiere society of men's basketball in
Siena is called "Mens Sana Basket." It is also the oldest sports society
in Siena. Mens Sana basket participate in the highest level of play in
Italy, Series A1, and won the national championship in the 2003-2004
season.
Amateur sports
As with most of Italy, football is very popular, and many amateur football
teams have been formed. Tournaments for amateur football leagues are
carried out during the winter. Contrary to the rest of Italy, Siena is
home to many amateur basketball teams. These teams exist to "seed" the
professional teams. In addition to Mens Sana Basket, other teams
(amateur) exist including "l'Associazione Sportiva Costone Basket" and
"La Virtus Siena." There exist many female University sports teams
organized under the CUS (Centro Universitario Sportivo.) These include
such sports as Volleyball and rugby.
The Palio
The second of July and the Sixteenth of August are the dates in which the
"Palio" is held. The Palio is a traditional horse race which is
conducted over a set course throughout the city each year. This event is
attended by many tourists, and is widely televised. This event is not
without its controversy however, and recently, there have been many
complaints about the treatment of the horses. The race is a very
dangerous one, as there are often a great deal of horses and riders
packed into narrow streets, and rider death is not unheard of. In order
to better protect the horses, steps have been made to make veterinary
care more easily available during the race.
Transportation
The nearest airport to Siena is that of Pisa.
Siena can be reached by train from both Pisa and Florence, changing at
Empoli. Siena's train station is located at the bottom of a long hill,
and travellers with luggage should look for a taxi or bus (from the stop
opposite the station).
Bus connections are available from Florence and Rome, and from various
other towns in Tuscany and beyond.
Drivers should be aware that almost no traffic is permitted within the
city centre. A large carpark is located on the outskirts (payment
required).
Some hotels do include free parking, though.
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