Around Piazza del Campo and Duomo in Siena

Around Piazza del Campo and Duomo in Siena - Duomo (Part 1)

Pages: 1 2

Lightbox (78) Tags: europe italy siena tuscany Posted: Feb. 1, 2009 by Vassilik

Veduta notturna di Piazza del Campo a
Siena con la fiaccolata Siena, Zocchi
Giuseppe (1711-1767),
Banca Monte dei Paschi

S iena is both, a classic medieval town in Tuscany and one of the prettiest medieval places in Italy. It is located about 35 miles (60 km) from Florence and is a major tourist destination in Italy. Like many other Tuscan towns, Siena was founded by Etruscans and later on passed to Roman control. However, the town never prospered under the Roman rule. The pick in Siena's development took place in 13th - 14th centuries, as an influential center of art, education, medicine as well as trade and banking.

Today, Siena remains a relatively small Tuscan town even if it is a capital of the province with the same name. Tourists from all over the world come to visit Siena and enjoy its historical monuments and museums. You can certainly stay at Siena for a night or more, but most people spend at Siena only one day. It's possible to come to Siena by train, but because of the location of the station and train schedule, the most convenient means of transportation to reach Siena is a car or bus.

You can find plenty information about Siena on the Web or in printed tourist guides. Because of this, we are not going to annoy you with same beaten to death passages about main sights in Siena. Instead, with our photo journal, we'll try to convey to you an actual experience of visiting and exploring the city. It starts with parking your car at the parking lot "Il Campo." You will have better chances to see most places of interest if you come to Siena not later than 9 am especially during summer time when crowds and crowds of tourist invade Siena. The center of Siena is accessible only on foot. Cars are strictly prohibited.

From Parking Lot to Piazza del Duomo If you use a car, we recommend to come to Siena from the South and use the parking lot Il Campo. To find this parking, when you approach the area, start looking for exit Porta Tufi, an then follow the parking signs to "P" Il Campo. It is a huge parking garage (for about 600 cars on 5 levels), and there is usually free space. One of the advantages of this parking lot is its location within a 10-minute walk from the town historic center. If you need more information about parking lots in Siena, visit the Web site of Siena Parcheggi.
View on Siena from Parcheggio il Campo. Like Rome, Siena is located on seven hills (well, depending on how you count, you may say on three hills). This make views and exploration of the city more interesting.	You are on via di Sant Agata - Siena is a small city with population of about 55,000 people. You can easily explore it by walking. Access to city center is strictly limited and you need a parking lot. Check Siena Parcheggi for your options. I recommend Parcheggio il Campo (via di Fontanella ). It's open 24 hours (2009 tariff €1.60/hour) and located very close to Duomo and Piazza di Campo.	An apartment building on via di Sant Agata. As often the case in Italian cities, the exterior of buildings is not maintained very well. Consider it to be off the beaten tourist track.	Still no glamour on Via di San Pietro - but not to worry, it will take less than 15 minutes of strolling to get to Duomo. So, take your time and enjoy Siena as is together with its unpleasant side.
Via del Capitano, a clean street that leads directly to Duomo, is a continuation of Via di San Pietro. Opposite to the latter, it is taken care of and much more joyful with more colors, in particular, yellow flags with double-headed black eagle. This eagle is the symbol of Aquila contrada (one of 17 districts in Siena) . On the right side is the entrance to The National Art Gallery (Pinacoteca Nazioanle), the home of collection of art including masterpieces by Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Giovanni di Paolo, Pintoricchio, Beccafumi and other artists.	Via di Stalloreggi and restaurant Quatro Cantoni. From this point you will find many places where you can eat. These are the closest to this location: Osteria il Tamburino (via Stalloreggi, 11 - small and nice family restaurant), La Taverna del Capitano (Via del capitano, 6/8), Osteria Permalico (Costa larga, 4 - certainly an interesting place to visit), Osteria Boccon del Prete (Via San Pietro 17, small, reasonably priced, typical Sienese place) and many others where you will find descent and honest local cuisine.	Suddenly you find yourself on Piazza del Duomo. One side of it is the old hospital of Santa Maria della Scala - one of the first hospitals in Europe. It is not in use any more as a medical facility and is slowly undergoing various projects of restorations with more sections opened to the public. Called today Museum Santa Maria della Scala is becoming quickly an important cultural heritage center.	The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta of Siena (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta or Duomo di Siena). Construction of the existing Duomo started in 1200, with the main sections already completed by 1215. The dome was built between 1259 and 1264. The cathedral includes three naves (shaped as the Latin cross) and is finished completely with strips of alternating black and white marble from local quarries. The alternating white and black bell tower is Romanesque and rests on a previously existing tower. Note that Duomo is a very popular place in Siena, and there may be crowds of tourist waiting to get inside. With the "combination" ticket (providing admission to several Siena most popular sites with each of them selling such tickets) you can avoid most of lines.
The Cathedral of Siena (Duomo di Siena), details of the lower part of the façade built with polychrome marble at the end of the 13th century. This lavish façade is decorated with statues of prophets, philosophers and apostles. You see only copies; originals are kept in the "Crypt of the Statues" in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The lower part of the façade and most of the statues were created by Giovanni Pisano. The bronze central door of the Cathedral is recent and was added to Duomo in 1958.	Palazzo Arcivescovile (Archbishops Palace), built in the 14th century Gothic style in the 18th century. I think this Neo-Gothic design and the mixture of details and materials borrowed from other structures on this piazza work wonderfully to preserve the architectural unity of the square.	Statue of Rea Silvia (priestess Rhea Silvia) in front of the Palazzo Arcivescovile (Archbishops Palace). Statues of Rhea Silvia are very popular in Siena (see comments below for another photo).	The exterior of Duomo is also constructed of white and greenish-black marble producing an astonishing visual effect.
Archirectural detail of the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo	Steps from Piazza del Duomo to Piazza San Giovanni (with access to the Baptistry) and Via del Poggio	Steps leading to Piazza del Duomo from Piazza San Giovanni (in opposite direction from the previous picture)	The façade of the baptistery covers a good part of the apse of Duomo on the right side.
Inside Duomo and Baptistry Duomo di Siena is one of the most spectacular cathedrals in Italy. Its construction was started in the 12th century in the Romanesque style but was transformed in the 13th century into one of the finest and few examples of Italian Gothic. The exterior as well as walls and columns of the church interior are covered with alternating stripes of black and white marble, symbolizing the Siena's coat of arms black and white colors. The interior design of Duomo is simply stunning. It has marble floors with decorative inlays by Domenico Beccafumi. Pinturicchio painted frescoes for the Piccolomini Library ( founded in 1495 by Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius III), which adjoins the cathedral. The location of the baptistry is somewhat unusual - it is underneath the eastern bays of the choir of Duomo. The façade of the baptistery covers a significant part of the apse of Duomo. The baptistry has three naves and rivals in its design and decoration the Cathedral. When on piazza del Duomo, you will notice an unfinished nave. If it had been completed, the overall layout of Duomo would have represented a huge cross. However, all plans to add another nave were abandoned in the middle of the 14th century when plague hit the city. One of the side aisles of the unfinished nave was roofed and currently hosts the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. While visiting Duomo, keep in mind that it is very popular tourist destination with crowds of people staying in lines to get inside Duomo. Duomo is opened to public usually at 10:30 am. The marble floors are uncovered only in September and October. There is a small fee to enter Duomo (which is doubled when the floor is uncovered). Duomo gallery published under Creative Commons license, courtesy of Gaspatcho
Duomo, central nave	Duomo, the vaulted roof is decorated in blue with golden stars	Duomo, apse and major altar	Duomo, stained glass, East Oculus
Duomo, marble floor Duomo, marble floor consists of 59 panels in different sizes.	Duomo, floor detail, 'Story of Fortune'	Duomo, floor detail	Duomo, Pulpito (Nicola and Giovanni Pisano)
Duomo, Cappella (chapel) Chigi, Madonna del Voto, St. Bernardine and St. Catherine of Siena.	Duomo, lectern	Duomo, wooden chorus stalls	Duomo, fresco: Coronation of Pope Pius II by Pinturicchio
Duomo, a painting	Duomo, pipe organ	Duomo, inside library Piccolomini	Duomo, library Piccolomini
Duomo, Piccolomini library, 'Aeneas Piccolomini Leaves for the Council of Basle', fresco by Pinturicchio	Duomo, inside the baptistry	Duomo, inside the baptistry	Duomo, Baptismal font, Jacopo della Quercia