MEDIEVAL SIENA

Siena is said to have been founded by Senius, son of Remus, one of the two legendary founders of Rome thus Siena's emblem is the she-wolf who suckled Remus and Romulus - you'll find many statues throughout the city. The city sits over three hills with its heart the huge piazza known as Il Campo, where the Roman forum used to be. Rebuilt during the rule of the Council of Nine, a quasi-democratic group from 1287 to 1355, the nine sections of the fan-like brick pavement represent the council and symbolizes the Madonna's cloak which sheltered Siena. -DiscoverTuscany.com

Our first stop in Tuscany was to the medieval village of Siena. This is a lovely place and I highly recommend a visit here if you are in Tuscany. Unfortunately, we were only able to spend the afternoon here on our way to lodging in Florence. Siena has more to offer than I thought and we could have spent a few more hours checking out the sites, to include, the Duomo of Siena or Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. It was quite cold the day we went so we found a couple shops to purchase scarves, gloves for Angela, and a hat for Caden and Mishaela. Our visit was a couple of days after Christmas so the town was still well decorated. The streets are narrow and the shops are quaint. It was awe inspiring knowing that we were walking through a town that was hundreds of years old. The sites we did see were the Piazza Del Campo, the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), the Torre Del Mangia (Tower of the Eats, it is a bell tower), and the Fonte Gaia (Fountain of Joy).

Piazza Del Campo - This is the main hub of Siena and surrounded by shops, restaurants, and historic site such as the Palazzo Comunale, Torre Del Mangia, and Fonte Gaia. Twice yearly the Palio di Siena takes place. This is a historic horse race with competitors from the 17 sections of the town. Clay is spread around the ring of the Camp for the race. It is quite competitive.

Piazza Del Campo

Palazzo Comunale - Originally, this was the town hall built with red brick and white marble. Currently, it houses the civic museum. Inside the museum are many masterpieces and frescos by Sienese artists. Adjoining the Palazzo is the Torre Del Mangia. This bell tower is among the highest and oldest in Italy.

Palazzo Comunale

Fonte Gaia - This fountain was built in 1343, in celebration of eight years of engineering work that brought water to the Piazza Del Campo in 1342. The original fountain was replaced in 1419 and then again in 1858. It is an impressive and beautiful piece of art.

Fonte Gaia