Siena
This page is about Siena, Italy, traditionally spelt 'Siena' by English speakers. For the form of limonite clay, see Siena.Siena is a city in
Tuscany,
Italy. It is the provincial capital of
Siena province.
The historic center of Siena has been declared by
UNESCO a World Heritage Site.
Siena, like many other
Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the
Etruscans (c. 900 BC to 400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina.
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Panorama of Siena at dusk. |
The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of
irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in heavily armoured hill-forts. It has been argued that their
Pagan society which practiced matrilineal inheritance, and was devoted to their goddesses was one of the reasons why Roman Goddesses such as
Diana and, with the arrival of Christianity, the
Virgin Mary came to be of such importance to the people of the Italian peninsula. If this is true, it suggests that the
Cult of the Virgin which is omnipresent in the fabric of Siena's ancient stones has an origin which is older still.
What we can say for certain is that the
Romans founded a town called Saenna Julia on the site of a pre-existing Etruscan settlement, and from this has grown modern Siena. Siena may then have been under the control of invading
Gaulish forces â€" who are known to have
sacked Rome in 390 BC. Some archaeologists assert it was controlled for a period by a Gaulish tribe called the Saenones.
The Roman origin accounts for the town's emblem â€" a she-wolf suckling the infants'
Romulus and Remus. According to legend, Siena was founded by
Senius, son of
Remus, who was in turn the brother of
Romulus, after whom
Rome was named. Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of Siena. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name "Saina", the Roman family name of the "Saenii", or the Latin word "senex" ("old") or the derived form "seneo", "to be old".
Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major roads and therefore missed out on the resulting opportunities for trade. Its insular status meant that Christianity did not penetrate until the Fourth Century AD, and it was not until the
Lombards invaded Siena and the surrounding territory that it knew prosperity. Their occupation and the fact that the old Roman roads of Aurelia and the Cassia passed through areas exposed to
Byzantine raids, caused the roads between the Lombards Northern possessions and Rome to be re-routed through Siena. The inevitable consequence of this was that Siena prospered as a trading post, and the constant streams of pilgrims passing to and from Rome were to prove a valuable source of income in the centuries to come.
The oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards surrender in 774 to
Charlemagne. At this point the city was inundated with a swarm of Frankish overseers who married into the existing Sienese nobility, and left a legacy that can be seen in the abbeys they founded throughout Sienese territory. Feudal power waned however, and by the death of
Countess Matilda in 1115 the Mark of Tuscia which had been under the control of her family â€" the Canossa â€" broke up into several autonomous regions.
Siena prospered under the new arrangements, becoming a major centre of money lending and an important player in the wool trade. It was governed at first directly by its Bishop, but episcopal power declined during the 1100s. The bishop was forced to concede a greater say in the running of the city to the nobility in exchange for their help during a territorial dispute with
Arezzo, and this started a process which culminated in 1167 when the commune of Siena declared its independence from episcopal control. By 1179, it had a written constitution.
This period was also crucial in shaping the Siena we know today. It was during the 1100s that the majority of the construction of the Duomo, Siena's cathederal, was completed. It was also during this period that the
Piazza del Campo, now regarded as one of the most beautiful civic spaces in Europe, grew in importance as the centre of secular life. New streets were constructed leading to it and it served as the site of the market, and the location of many sporting events (perhaps better thought of as riots, in the fashion of the Florentine football matches that are still practised to this day). A wall was constructed in 1194 at the current site of the
Palazzo Pubblico to stop soil erosion, an indication of how important the area was becoming as a civic space.
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Medieval coin from Siena (12th century). |
In the early
12th century a self-governing
commune replaced the earlier aristocratic government. The consuls who governed the republic slowly became more inclusive of the
poblani, or common people, and the Commune increased its territory as the surrounding feudal nobles in their fortified castles submitted to the urban power. Siena's
republic, struggling internally between nobles and the popular party, usually worked in political opposition to its great rival,
Florence, and was in the
13th century predominantly
Ghibelline in opposition to Florence's
Guelph position (the backdrop for
Dante's
Commedia).
On
September 4 1260 The Siennese
Ghibellines, supported by the forces of King
Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine
Guelphs at
Montaperti. The Siennese faced an overwhelming Florentine army. Prior to the battle, the entire city was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and entrusted to her possession â€" something which has been renewed several times since, most recently in 1944 to guard the city from the threat of Allied bombs. The man given command of Siena for the duration of the war, Bonaguida Lucari walked barefoot and bareheaded, a halter around his neck, to the Duomo. Leading a procession composed of all the city's residents, he was met by all the clergy. Lucari and the Bishop embraced, to show the unity of church and state, then Luceri formally gave the city and contrade to the Virgin. Legend has it that a thick white cloud descended on the battlefield, giving the Siennese cover and aiding their attack. They inflicted a crushing defeat and massacred the forces of their enemy, so crushing was the defeat that even today if the two cities meet in any sporting event, the Siennese supporters are likely to exhort their Florentine counterparts to "Remember Montaperti!".
Siena's university, founded in
1203 and famed for its faculties of law and medicine, is still among the most important Italian universities. Siena rivalled Florence in the arts through the 13th and
14th centuries: the important late medieval painter
Duccio (
1253–
1319) was a Siennese, but worked across the peninsula, and the mural of "Good Government" by
Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the
Palazzo Pubblico, or town hall, is a magnificent example of late-Medieval/early
Renaissance art as well as a representation of the utopia of urban society as conceived during that period. Siena was devastated by the
Black Death of
1348 and never recovered its earlier glory, losing out to Florence in inter-urban rivalry. Siena retained its independence in Tuscany until
1557.
The picturesque city remains an important cultural centre, especially for humanist disciplines.
Siena's cathedral, the
Duomo, begun in the twelfth century, is one of the great examples of Italian
romanesque architecture. Its main facade was completed in
1380. Its
campanile and
baptistry make a fine group. It is unique among Christian cathedrals in that its axis runs north-south. This is because it was originally intended to be the largest cathedral in existence, with a north-south transept and an east-west aisle, as is usual. After the completion of the transept and the building of the east wall (which still exists and may be climbed by the public via an internal staircase) the money ran out and the rest of the cathedral was abandoned.
Inside is the famous Gothic octagonal pulpit by
Nicola Pisano (
1266–
1268) supported on lions, and the
labyrinth inlaid in the flooring, traversed by penitents on their knees. Within the Sacristy are some perfectly preserved renaissance frescos by
Ghirlandaio Beneath the Duomo, in the baptistry is the marvelous baptismal font with bas-reliefs by
Donatello,
Ghiberti,
Jacopo della Quercia and other
15th-century sculptors. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo contains
Duccio's famous
Maestà (
1308–
1311) and various other works by Siennese masters. More Siennese paintings are to be found in the Pinacoteca.
The shell-shaped
Piazza del Campo, the town square, which houses the
Palazzo Pubblico and the
Torre del Mangia, is another architectural treasure, and is famous for hosting the
Palio. The Palazzo Pubblico, itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art museum. Included within the museum is
Ambrogio Lorenzetti's series of frescos on
the good government and the results of good and bad government, there are also some of the finest frescoes of
Simone Martini and
Pietro Lorenzetti.
On the Piazza Salimbeni is the Palazzo Salimbeni, a notable building and also the
medieval headquarters of
Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks in continuous existence and a major player in the Siennese economy.
Housed in the beautiful
Gothic Palazzo Chigi on Via di Città is the
Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena's
conservatory of music.
The Medicean Fortress houses the Enoteca Italiana and the
Siena Jazz School, with courses and concerts all the year long and a major festival during the International Siena Jazz Masterclasses. Over two weeks more than 30 concerts and jam sessions are held in the two major town squares, on the terrace in front of the Enoteca, in the gardens of the Contrade clubs, and in many historical towns and villages of the Siena province.Siena is also home of Sessione Senese per la Musica e l'arte (SSMA), a summer music program for musicians, is a fun/learning musical summer experience.
Siena has enjoyed a long tradition in sports.
Basketball and
football are perhaps the most popular in Siena. However, other sports such as
rugby,
baseball, and
track-and-field are also widely practiced.
Professional sports
The Football Association of Siena was founded in 1904 and fully established in 1908. It has participated in the National Championship of Football in Series "A" (The highest level of the Italian football leagues) since the 2003-2004 season. The football club
A.C. Siena, plays its games at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The premiere society of men's basketball in Siena is called "Mens Sana Basket." It is also the oldest sports society in Siena. Mens Sana Basket participates in the highest level of play in Italy, Series A1, and it won the national championship in the 2003-2004 season.
Amateur sports
As with most of Italy, football is very popular, and many amateur football teams have been formed. Tournaments for amateur football leagues are carried out during the winter.Contrary to the rest of Italy, Siena is home to many amateur basketball teams. These teams exist to "seed" the professional teams. In addition to Mens Sana Basket, other teams (amateur) exist including "l'Associazione Sportiva Costone Basket" and "La Virtus Siena."There exist many female University sports teams organized under the CUS (Centro Universitario Sportivo.) These include such sports as
Volleyball and rugby.
See Palio di SienaThe second of July and the Sixteenth of August are the dates in which the "
Palio" is held. The Palio is a traditional horse race which is conducted over a set course throughout the city each year. This event is attended by many tourists, and is widely televised. This event is not without its controversy however, and recently, there have been many complaints about the treatment of the horses. The race is a very dangerous one, as there are often a great deal of horses and riders packed into narrow streets, and rider death is not unheard of. In order to better protect the horses, steps have been made to make veterinary care more easily available during the race.
The nearest international airport to Siena is that of
Florence.
Siena can be reached by train from both Pisa and Florence, changing at
Empoli. Siena's train station is located at the bottom of a long hill, and travellers with luggage should look for a taxi or bus (from the stop opposite the station).
Bus connections are available from Florence and Rome, and from various other towns in Tuscany and beyond.
Drivers should be aware that almost no traffic is permitted within the city centre. A large carpark is located on the outskirts (payment required).
Some hotels do include free parking, though.
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La Fratta, a Tuscany National Monument - in the Siena area - Sinalunga
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Official site*
Siena OnLine The City and province area
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Siena Italy Virtual reality movies and photo Gallery (ita/ing)
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AboutSiena.Com *
History and architecture of Siena*
Photographs of Siena*
Pictures from Siena in Polish*
Images from Siena
