Gothic Siena
We took a bus to Siena from Florence and arrived 1.5 hours later. Siena made a great first impression, but perhaps not as breathtaking as San Gimignano.
During the Middle Ages, Siena was a rival of Florence in terms of culture, commerce, art and cityscape. Like Florence, Siena was once an independent state as a republic, and the republic lasted for four hundred years between the 12th century and 1555. A long history of developed commerce made it the center of trade and finance. Siena is home to the one of the oldest banks in continuous operation in Europe, and the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena stands as the testament to this proud history.
Needless to say, the Piazza Del Campo, which is a UNESCO heritage, was the primary interest for us as first-time visitors. During the 13th century, this plaza was a marketplace. Then “it was paved in 1349 in fishbone-patterned red brick with 8 lines of travertine, which divide the piazza into 9 sections, radiating from the mouth of the gavinone (the central water drain) in front of the Palazzo Pubblico… From the piazza, eleven narrow shaded streets radiate into the city.” (Wikipedia) The nine segments represent the Government of the Nine, the seat of which was the Palazzo Pubblico right by the square.
The Piazza remains the very center of local life and international events today.
And surely, there was this incredible charm at the Piazza Del Campo. Although knowing that dining would be very expensive there, we decided to do al fresco at a café. We savored coffee and the view of the Palazzo Pubblico. There had to be enough replenishments before we climb the tower.
We were determined to climb the very tall Torre de Mangia (the Mangia Tower, meaning the “Eater’s” Tower). As compared to the Pisa Tower, the climb of the Mangia Tower was not too rigorous. There were certainly less tourists, and as much as the steps were narrow, there was no pressure to rush up. We took little breaks and many pictures on our way up.
The all-around view of Siena at the top was spectacular. Houses baked under the Tuscan sun, their colors are of Siena, a strong, rustic brown, somewhat burnt, and certainly roasted. The bricks that made up the medieval Sienese structures were products of the commune, which made sure that they met certain standards. This was what gave Sienese buildings their architectural integrity. Despite its height, at Torre de Mangia we still did not manage to take a picture that captures the whole shell-shaped piazza down below.
The sculptures on the buildings of Siena are unique. They seem to be wearing expressions of exasperation, as if they were meeting death. There is also a clear deference to animals. Of course, the most impressive image was the bronze sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf at the Palazzo Pubblico. It conveys the Roman myth of a she-wolf suckling the mythical twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.
The stone plaque is dedicated to Roman Siena and St. Catherine of Siena.
On our way to the Duomo, we bought cherry tomatoes and strawberries. They came freshly off the field. We saw the strawberry leaves slowly wilting as we ate them. What a nice taste of Italian freshness.
The Duomo is yet another display of grandeur. Its white marble façade is “clad externally with a black and white marble cladding, which references the city’s coat of arms” (Prina at 95). Not atypical of its counterparts, the Siena Cathdral underwent a century-long construction.
It was consecrated in 1179, but work continued all through the 13th century. The Bell tower was completed in 1264 (Id).
The sculptures on the façade seem more expressive than what I observed in Florence. Many of the human sculptures extend their arms, and dotted along are representations of different animals. The gothic school may have a wholly different world view when it comes down to the relationship between God, humans and religion.
As we noticed before, all the Tuscan cities had a character of its own. I still favored San Gimignano over all the others, but there was not a moment of repetitiveness in visiting each city. The decorated history of Italy has enabled an exceptional variety of experience in each of its gems.
Sources
The Wikipedia on the Piazza del Campo.
The Wikipedia on Siena.
The Wikipedia on the Capitoline Wolf.
Francesca Prina, The Story of Gothic Architecture (2011).