Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano

By Enrico Massetti

Siena is one of Italy's best-preserved medieval towns, located in the heart of Tuscany. Built on three hills and surrounded by well-preserved walls, it is filled with beautiful Gothic architecture examples and has one of the world's unique piazzas – il Campo – (shaped like a shell with scalloped edges). Of course, the world-famous Palio di Siena is an integral part of Sienese identity, history, and culture. Siena is also the birthplace of St. Catherine of Siena Metairie.

Siena – Piazza del Campo & Torre dei Mangia

The heart of Siena is Piazza del Campo, the Piazza where the Palio di Siena is run, famous for its shell-shape, and still the focus of city life. There is the Fonte Gaia, a fountain unique in its quadrangular form and beautiful figures around the edges in the square.

Siena – the Duomo di Siena

The Duomo di Siena is a beautiful building; it is a mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture with dark green and white marble. It contains works by many artists, including Donatello, Pisano, and Arnolfo di Cambio. One of its main attractions is the marble-inlaid floor, the result of the contributions of many artists. The Duomo di Siena museum, in the same piazza, contains some original statues by Pisano moved for conservation and many artworks, including the famous "Maesta" by Duccio di Buoninsegna.

Volterra

Volterra still retains its medieval character, charm, and atmosphere. Its isolated position has impeded any progressive development. The defensive wall built in the 13th century resulted from an urban development that began in the year thousand and was completed at the beginning of the 14th century.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a pretty medieval walled city in Tuscany, Italy, well known for its large number of campaniles. The town is also known as the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages." Competing families tried to build the highest campanile to impress each other.

Here the plague raged in 1464 and 1631, starting a period of decadence for the town: the town-walls fell to pieces, the Medieval mansions fell into disrepair, and no one had enough money to stop all this, as the wealthiest and most influential families had left the town because of the plague. Consequently, the architectural and artistic heritage remained untouched for four centuries, and the city preserved its characteristic medieval architecture intact.

This is a guide to Siena, Volterra, and San Gimignano.

There are extensive descriptions and photos of the attractions and the "Palio di Siena."

It contains many reviews for the best-recommended restaurants that are at the location described.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Enrico Massetti
• Release date: Jan 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311857538

Enrico Massetti

Enrico Massetti nació en Milán, Italia, donde vivió durante más de 30 años, visitando innumerables destinos turísticos, desde las montañas de los Alpes hasta el mar de Sicilia. Ahora vive en Washington, Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, visita regularmente su ciudad natal y disfruta recorriendo todos los lugares de su país, especialmente aquellos a los que puede llegar en transporte público. Puede contactar con Enrico en [e-mail].

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Table of content

Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano

Table of content

Siena

Siena – Piazza del Campo & Torre del Mangia

Siena – the Duomo di Siena

A visit to Siena

The Palio di Siena – Palio of Siena

Siena: Terziere di Cittá

Siena: Terziere di San Martino

Siena: Terziere di Camollia

The Palio

How to get to Siena

Where to eat in Siena

Volterra

Piazza dei Priori

Where to eat in Volterra

San Gimignano

Some San Gimignano History

Where to eat in San Gimignano.

Other tourism guides

The Author

Things to Know

Siena

Siena – Piazza del Campo

Siena is one of Italy's best-preserved medieval towns, located in the heart of Tuscany. Built on three hills and surrounded by well-preserved walls, it is filled with excellent Gothic architecture examples and has one of the world's unique piazzas – il Campo – (shaped like a shell with scalloped edges). Of course, the world-famous Palio di Siena is an integral part of Sienese identity, history, and culture. Siena is also the birthplace of St. Catherine of Siena Martire.

Siena – Piazza del Campo & Torre del Mangia

Piazza del Campo

The heart of Siena is Piazza del Campo, the Piazza where the Palio di Siena takes place, famous for its shell-shape, and still the focus of city life. The Fonte Gaia is a fountain unique in its quadrangular form and beautiful figures around the square’s edges.

The famous Torre del Mangia and the Palazzo Pubblico form one of the sides of Piazza del Campo.

The tower was built in 1348 and is 102 meters high; it gives excellent views over Siena and the surrounding countryside. The Palazzo Pubblico was constructed between 1297 and 1342 and is an example of classic Gothic architecture in Tuscany. It houses a fantastic array of frescoes by artists such as Vecchietta, Simone Martini, and Sodoma.

We are discovering treasures in Siena’s museums.

Siena is an itinerary that joins past and future: just a stone’s throw from the Ospedale della Santa Maria della Scala