Siena would have been the greatest wannabe Florence. Throughout its illustrations past , it direct competed. But its inner temperament produced its own genius that even surpassed the great Florentine achievements. If the latter was extrovert, always cogent and deeply thoughtful, Siena was extrovert fluid and often decorous. While Florence produced genius of artists, Siena had artists like Duccio, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers who invented a distinctive Sienese art style, a highly developed Gothicism that was an excellent artistic foil to the emerging Florentine Renaissance.
Yet, what makes Siena different is its "red tilescape" that tops Gothic palaces cake shops and altarpieces of unsurpassed beauty. Your trip to destination Italy would be incomplete without a visit to this unique brick red city.
On Il Campo--The Heart of Siena
In Siena, all roads including Vie Branch lead to Loggia della Mercanzia This is where the city merchants argued their respective cases against an absolutely fair tribunal . Instead you can take the tunnel like stepped alleys Piazza del Campo (Ilcampo) , arguably the most beautiful piazza in all Italy. Resembling a sloping scallop shell, even the pavement pattern is symbolic - it divides into 9 sections denoting the city's ruling body, the council of nine. And the engineers designed the Campos tilt and fan shape judiciously- it meshes with the city's water system and subterranean canal network. The Palazza Publico - the townhall is the finest piece of gothic architecture, while Museo Civico displays sienna's best art. The tall brick church tower called the tall Torre Del Mangia (1338-provides a breath taking view of the city provided you can climb its 503 steps.
Museo Civico
Walk straight into Sala del Risorgimento, where you can see the illustrious career of Italy's first king Vittorio Emanuele II illustrated. On the other hand the Sala di Balia beyond the foot of the stairs was frescoed (1407) by Spinello Aretino and his son Parri, with scenes from the Life of Pope Alexander III, including an exceptional naval battle. Amble across to Anticamera del Concistoro that has a detached Ambrogio Lorenzetti fresco on the entrance wall and a Matteo di Giovanni Madonna and Child. The issues of governance are tackled repeatedly especially in the frescoed Sala del Concistoro . The vestibule has a masterpiece on its altar - Madonna and Child with Saints by Sodoma.
However its the Sala della Pace that steals the show with its spectacular fresco Allegory of Good and Bad Government and Their Effects on the Town and Countryside by Ambrogio Lorenzetti Employing art for cure purposes, it clearly demarcates the virtues and vices respectively of good and bad governance in dazzling fresco that stretches for an incredible distance.
Casa di Santa Caterina
The woman saint of Sienna, Caterina Benincasa, daughter of a rich Sienese dyer , was remarkable in every respect. She was marked by stigmata and Christ's wounds; became Siena's ambassador, won over Pope Gregory who returned to Rome leaving Avignon. . Not surprisingly, she was canonized and was declared the patron saint of Italy.
Her natal house remains simple, masonry with a small brick layered courtyard. The Loggia just beyond and leads to the old family kitchen. It has been made into an oratory with paintings by the masters. The church is opposite and gives the pleasure of "crucifixion" where the woman saint received the stigmata. It gives a spiritual twist to your travel to destination Italy.
Oratorio di San Bernardino e Museo Diocesano
This the abode of St. Bernardine when he stepped into the role of the monk . The oratory stands over the exact spot of the prayer place . The two lower levels are stunningly frescoed by eminent Siennese artists and reveals a dazzling Madonna by Sano di Pietro. the upper level has frescos by artists Sodoma, Domenico Beccafumi, and Girolamo del Pacchia