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Siena Tour Stops:
- Piazza del Duomo
- Duomo
- Ospedale di Santa dells Scala
- Baptistry
- Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo
- Piazza Postierla
- Plazzo Piccolomini
- Palazzo Chigi Saracini
- Piazza del Campo
- Torre di Mangia
- Palazzo Publico
- Palazzo Piccolomini
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Music . . . which fades into background as The Cicerone speaks . . .
Hello. I’m your Cicerone, your guide who explains the antiquities. Welcome to Siena.
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The Sienese call it the most beautiful city in Tuscany. Visitors who have seen its unique
charm seldom disagree. Come walk with me to some of Siena’s principal sites. I’m an American
who loves Europe and I’ve lived her for several years. I have fallen in love with the people,
the art, the language, the history. It’s a joy for me to share the things I have learned with
other people. On this tour I will point out famous sites that you may have already seen or
heard about in books, as well as those off the beaten path treasures that might normally
escape your eye.
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We will start today at the Duomo, located on the highest elevation of Siena.
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Our walk will take us from the Piazza Duomo to the great Piazza del Campo The Piazza Duomo is
the open space in front of the great cathedral and the Piazza del Campo is the great open space
in front of the Palazzo Publico. We will go from the sacred space, honoring God to the civic
space, honoring the people.
I hope you are rested today.
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Siena is a richly historical and completely intact medieval city, but its hills make walking a bit of a challenge.
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The city is built on a Y shaped ridge forming three hills. So, be prepared to walk down and up these
beautiful, but sometimes steep streets. Oh yes, before we begin, bring a supply of 1,000 lire bills
and a stash of 200 lire coins. Entrance to many of the public restrooms requires you to pay either
one or the other. For the price of a glass of water, a coffee or a gelato you may use the bathroom
in a bar or shop. It is considered " maleducato" or bad form to ask for a bathroom without buying
something. Every street in Siena is interesting so feel free at any point to stop our tour tape
and wander off. Just remember, we have a full day planned so don’t get too tired or too distracted
by the charms of the side streets.
We will start at the Duomo because this cathedral is on the site of an ancient temple to Minerva.
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We know then that we are at the heart of the beginning of the city. Put on your good walking shoes,
bring a bottle of water and come walk with me. Let’s journey back into the past where the Roman
outpost Saena Julia was established over an old Etruscan settlement. Look on your map for the arrow
that says begin and I’ll meet you in the Piazza Duomo. Turn off your tape whenever you hear this
sound TONE.
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Stop our audio-- turn it back on when you have climbed the high hill where the Duomo stands.
Consult your map. TONE
You should now be standing in the Piazza Duomo. You should be facing one of the most
extraordinary buildings in all of Christendom, the cathedral of Siena. Why not sit for a
moment on the steps or wherever you are comfortable while you rest from your climb. We’ll
talk about the history of this amazing place. The Etruscans were surely here, even before
the Romans. Throughout Tuscany there are signs of these marvelous, creative people.
The pre-historic Italians, known as Etruscans , inhabited the upper part of central Italy
about three thousand years ago. Their origins are lost in time, but scholars believe they
migrated here from Turkey.
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They were called the Tusci so this region is called Tuscany. We know that the Greeks had a
profound influence on ancient Italy, and we can see their influence in the Etruscan art found
throughout Tuscany, predating the Roman civilization.
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The beautiful terra cotta and black pottery the Tusci created is found in abundance and is
exhibited in many places around Tuscany. Their pottery shows that they were greatly influenced
by Athens.
From Greek accounts of the time, we get a picture of the Etruscans as warlike and aggressive,
pirates even. Eventually, the Etruscans were wiped out by the wave of Romans coming out from
Rome to conquer and inhabit the whole area.
When Caesar was assonated, on the famous Ides of March in 44BC, there was a great battle for power
and eventually his nephew, called Augustus, won out. Augustus formed his own second triumvirate and
established outposts like the one here called Saena Julia to protect the Roman trade routes and the
city of Rome from invasion.
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By choosing this site for his Saena Julia, Augustus was strategically located along the famous
"Via Francine" which connected Rome with the north of Europe. Christianity was only introduced
here in early eight hundreds, long after it had swept over most of Europe.
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This Cathedral was begun around 1200, it replaces an older cathedral from the 9th century the
Cathedral of Santa Maria. This present building is dedicated to Saint Catherine, the patron Saint
of Siena. This structure was consecrated in 1179. The building, rebuilding, enlarging and
modifying of this building is a great saga. We will see some of the results as we explore the area.
If you have walked with me in Pisa or Lucca the facade of this Duomo should be somewhat familiar.
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You can see as you look at the façade that the great Pisan artist Nicola Pisano designed it. Here we
see the evolution from the Pisan Gothic to this magnificent Gothic structure. In 1285, Nicola’s son
Giovanni Pisano joined his father and participated in the design and decoration of this exterior. If
you will step back from the cathedral and to your right as you face it, you can see the bell tower
and dome. The bell tower was grafted on to an already existing one and has a rather strange shape. It
grows larger at the top.
End of tour excerpt.
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