Siena, located in the heart of Tuscany and surrounded by hills, is one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Italy.
The fulcrum of the city is the famous Piazza del Campo, with its particular shell shape, where the famous Palio is held, one of the most important events for all Sienese people. The Palio di Siena is a passionate horse race that takes place every year, in July and August and its origins seem to date back to the seventeenth century.
According to legend, Siena was founded by Senio, son of Remo, and in the city there are several statues depicting the mythical Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf. Piazza del Campo has been the central nucleus of Siena since the time of the Romans, who had their Forum here.The square was repaved during the Government of the Nine, a semi-democratic group in power between 1287 and 1355, with a subdivision into nine sections in memory of the Government and symbolizes the mantle of the Madonna that protects the city.The Campo is dominated by the red Palazzo Pubblico and its tower, called Torre del Mangia. The Palazzo Pubblico, as well as the Cathedral of Siena, was built during the Government of the Nine, which was the period of maximum economic and cultural splendor of Siena. The Palazzo still houses the offices of the Municipality, similarly to Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. From the internal courtyard of the Palazzo you enter the Civic Museum and the Torre del Mangia, at the top of which, after climbing the 500 steps, you can enjoy a splendid view of the city. Some of the most beautiful paintings of the Sienese school are preserved in the Civic Museum. The Sala del Concistoro offers one of the most beautiful works by Domenico Beccafumi, who frescoed the ceilings by painting the cycle of public virtues. In the Sala del Mappamonto and in the Sala della Pace (or Sala dei Nove) then there are real masterpieces: the great Majesty and the equestrian portrait of Guidoriccio da Fogliano at the siege of Montemassi by Simone Martini and the Allegories of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, considered one of the greatest pictorial cycles of the Middle Ages. In Siena there are tours of:
1) The splendor of the Cathedral of Siena, 2) The genius of Ambrogio Lorenzetti, 3) Discovering the Torre del Mangia, 4) The Palio of Siena, 5) Treasure of a Treasure: the Piccolomini Library inside the Cathedral, 6) Excursions daily from Siena.