Cities of Arts

SIENA
Siena is a city of steep medieal alleys surrounding the Piazza del Campo. The buildings around the square symbolise the golden age of the city between 1260 and 1348, when wealthy citizens contributed to a major programme of civic building. Siena’s decline began in 1348 when the Black Death hit the city, killing a third of the population; 200 years later many more died in an 18-month siege ending in defeat by the Florentiens. The victors repressed all further development and building in Siena, which remained frozen in time, crammed with medieval buildings which have recently been renovated.

Piazza del Campo
The shell-shaped 12th century Piazza del Campo is bordered by elegant palazzo. It has an elaborate fountain as its focal point, the Fonte Gaia, a rectangular marble basin decorated by statues. The fountain now seen in the square is a 19th century copy of the original, which was carved by Jacopo della Quercia in 1409-19. This was removed to preserve it from the ravages of the weather. The reliefs on the fountain depict Adam and Eve, the Madonna and Child, and the Virtues. Water is fed into it by a 25-km (15-mile) aqueduct, which has brought fresh water into the city from the hills since the 14th century.

Torre del Mangia
The belltower to the left of the Palazzo Pubblico is the second-highest in Italy, at 102 m (330 ft). Built by the brothers Muccio and Francesco di Rinaldo between 1338-48, it is named after the first bell ringer, who was nicknamed Mangiaguadagni (literally “eat the profits”) because of his great idleness. (It was the bell ringer’s responsibility to warn the citizens of impending danger). There are 505 steps to the top of the tower, which has views across Tuscany.

Palazzo Pubblico
The Palazzo Pubblico serves as the town hall, but the state rooms are open to the public. The main council chamber is called the Sala del Mappamondo, after a map of the world painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the early 1300s. One wall is covered by Simone Martini’s Maestà (Virgin in Majesty). Painted in 1315, it depicts the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven, attended by the Apostles, saints and angels. Opposite is Martini’s fresco fo the mercenary Guidoriccio da Fogliano (1330). The walls of the adjacent chapel are coverei with frescoes of the Life of the Virgin (1407) by Taddeo di Bartolo, and the choir stalls (1428) feature wooden panels inlaid with biblical scenes. The Sala della Pace contains the famous Allegory of Good and Bad Governement, a pair of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, finished in 1338. In The Good Goervnment civi life flourishes, while The Bad Government reveals ruins and rubbish-strewn streets. The Sala del Risorgimento is covered with late 19th century frescoes illustrating the events leading up to the unification of Italy under King Vittorio Emanuele II.

Palazzo Piccolomini
This imposing private palazzo was built in the 1460s by Rossellingo for the very wealthy Piccolomini family. It houses the Tavolette di Biccherna, municipal ledgers from the 13th century, with covers by Sano di Pietro, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Domenico Beccafumi and others.

Pinoteca Nazionale
Housed in the 14th century Palazzo Buonsignori, this gallery contains important works by the Siena School. Lorenzetti’s Two Views, painted int eh 14th century, are early examples of landscape painting, and Pietro da Domenico’s Adoration of the Shepherds (1510) shows how the art of the Siena School remained stylised long after Renaissance naturalism had influenced the rest of Europe. There is also a striking Deposition (1502) by Sodoma.

Duomo
Siena’s Duomo (1136-1382) is one of the most spectacular in Italy, and one of the few to have been built south of the Alps in full Gothic style. Many ordinary citizens helped to cart the black and white stone used in its construction from quarries on the outskirts of the city. In 1339, the Sienese decided to build a new nave to the south with the aim of making it the biggest church in Christendom. This plan came to nothing when plague hit the city soon afterwards, killing off much of the population. The uncompleted nave now contains a museum of Gothic sculpture.

Piccolomini Library
Pinturicchio’s frescoes (1509) portray the life of Pope Pius II.

Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana
This museum is built into the unfinished side aisle of the Duomo. Part of it houses the sculpture from the exterior of the Duomo, which had become eroded outside. Duccio’s double-sided Maestà, one of the best Siena School works, has a room to itself. Painted between 1308-11, it depicts the Madonna and Child on one side and scenes from The Life of Christ on the other. A loggia on the top floor offers views of the town and countryside.

Santa Maria della Scala
This former hospital is now a museum housing a collection of paintings and sculpture. In the Sala del Pellegrino, frescoes by Domenico di Bartolo depict hospital scenes from the 1440s, including monks attending to the sick.

Santuario e Casa di Santa Caterina
Siena’s patron saint, Catherine Benincasa (1347-80), was the daughter of a tradesman. She took the veil aged eight, and experienced many visions of God, from whom she also received the stigmata. Her eloquence persuaded Gregory XI to return the seat of the papacy to Rome in 1376, after 67 years of exile in Avignon. She died in Rome and was canonised in 1461. Today, her house is surrounded by chapels and cloisters. It is decorated with paintings of events from her life by artists such as Pietro Sorri and Francesco Vanni, both her contemporaries.

The Sienese Palio
The Palio is Tuscany’s most celebrated festival and takes place on 2 July and 16 Augus each year in the Campo. It is a bareback horse race and was first recorded in 1283, but may have had its origins in Roman military training. The jockeys represent the 17 contrade or districts; the horses are chosen by the drawing of straws and are then blessed at the local contrada churches. The races are preceded by heavy betting and pageantry, but only last about 90 seconds each. The winner is awarded a palio (banner).

San Domenico
This barn-like Gothic church was begun in 1226 and its belltower was added in 1340. Inside is an exquisite chapel dedicated to St Catherine. It was built in 1460 to store her preserved head, which is now kept in a gilded marble tabernacle on the altar. This is surrounded by frescoes showing Caterine in a state of religious fervour, painted by Sodoma in 1526. The marble pavement is attributed to Giovannit di Stefano. Catherine experienced many of her visions and received her stigmata in the Cappella delle Volte at the west end of the church. Here there is an authenticated portrait of her contemporary Andrea Vanni, dated around 1380.

Fortezza Medicea
This huge red-brick fortress was built for Cosimo I by Baldassarre Lanci in 1560, following Siena’s defeat by the florentiens in the 1554-5 war. The fortress now houses an open-air theatre, and from the entrance bastions there are fine views of the countryside.

Accademia Musicale Chigiana
Founded by Count Guido Chigi Saracini in 1932, the Accademia holds master classes for the principal musical instruments. Housed in one of the finest buildings in Siena, there is also a fine art collection, a museum of musical instruments and a library containing original manuscripts. Concerts and occasional exhibitions are also held here.
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AREZZO
One of the wealthiest cities in Tuscany, Arezzo produces gold jewellery for shops all over Europe. It is famous for Piero della Francesca’s frescoes and for its antiques market. Following World War II, there was much rebuilding – broad avenues have replaced many of the medieval alleys. The Chimera fountain near the station is a reminder of the city’s past. It is a copy of an Etruscan bronze cast here in 380 BC.
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SAN GIMIGNANO
The distintive skyline of San Gimignano must have been a welcom sight to the faithful in medieval times, for the town lay on the main pilgrim route from northern Europe to Rome. This gave rise to its great prosperity at that time, when its population was twice what it is today. The plague of 1348, and later the diversion of the pilgrim route, led to its economic decline. However, since World War II it has been recovering rapidly thanks to tourism and local wine production. For a small town, San Gimignano is rich in works of art, and good shops and restaurants.
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MONTE OLIVETO MAGGIORE
The approach to this abbey is through thick cypresses, with stunning views of eroded cliffs and sheer drops to the valley floor. It was founded in 1313 by the Olivetan order, who were dedicated to restoring the simplicity of Benedictine monastic rule. The 15th century rose-pink abbey church is a Baroque building with outstanding choir stalls of inlaid wood. Alongside is the Great Cloister (1427-74), whose walls are covered by a cycle of frescoes on the life of St Benedict, begun by Luca Signorelli, a pupil of Piero della Francesca, in 1495. He completed nine panels; the remaining 27 were finished by Sodoma in 1508. The cycle, which begins on the east wall with Benedict’s early life, is considered a masterpiece of fresco painting for its combination of architectural and naturalistic detail.
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FLORENCE
The main monuments start with Piazza del Duomo, facing the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, begun by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 but only in 1436 crowned with the masterpiece of Filippo Brunelleschi. His Cupola (dome) is the symbol of Florence, a daring and majestic structure, the top offering a wonderful panoramic view of the city, and also of the interior of the cathedral.

Beside the façade stands another giant, Giotto’s campanile (bell tower), slender and many-coloured, also affording a fine view if the city. Opposite the façade of the Duomo is the more ancient Baptistery of St John, with its famous bronze doors by Ghiberti and Andrea Pisano.

Following the animated Via dei Calzaiuoli you soon reach Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of Florence. Here rises the late 13th century Palazzo della Signoria or Palazzo Vecchio, which is the seat of the Commune of Florence as well as being a museum. Entering the inner courtyard you will notice the fountain with the cherub by Verrochio and frescoes by Vasari. Flanking the piazza is the 14th century Loggia dei Lanzi, in which there are such world-renowned statues as Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus and the Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna.

Adjoining Palazzo Vecchio is the imposing edifice of the Uffizi, designed by Vasari in the 16th century as the seat of the Chancellery of the ruling Medici family, and now one of the most important museums in the world. The Gallery houses paintings ranging from the primitives (Cimabue, Giotto) to the Mannerist period, and is a complete compendium of Renaissance painting including works by Botticelli, Filippo Lippi, Paolo Uccello, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. A visit to the Gallery requires several hours, so if you do not have the time continue on foot towards the nearby Ponte Vecchio. One of the symbols of the city, the bridge has survived the ravages of war and the flooding of the Arno, and ever since 1500 has been home to famous goldsmiths’ shops.

After crossing the bridge you are in “Oltrarno”, beyond the Arno, a very important matter in Florence. Of the four historical quarters of Florence, three (San Giovanni, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce, are on “this” side of the Arno, and only one, Santo Spirito, on the other. The road straight ahead from the Ponte Vecchio brings you to Piazza Pitti, dominated by the majestic façade of Palazzo Pitti. Of 15th century origin, it was bought by Eleonora, wife of Cosimo I, and became the new archducal palace of the Medici, who had previously resided in Palazzo della Signoria. It was enlarged and enhanced with a marvellous park, the Boboli Gardens. Palazzo Pitti is the seat of numerous museums, and the garden itself is one of them. If you still have time you should make for Piazza Santa Spirito: you will enjoy the lively atmosphere of this part of the city. It is home to numerous crafts, and has a genuine spirit of its own. Piazza Santo Spirito itself, one of the few city squares with trees in it, is surrounded by fine palaces in addition to the church, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1444. Besides the linear purity of its architecture, the building contains important works of art.

Santa Maria Novella is the 13th century church of the Dominican Order, with a fine façade in green and white marble. The Gothic interior is very beautiful, with numerous frescoes and masterpieces of Renaissance art. Attached to it is the museum of the same name. Through narrow, picturesque alleys you reach Via Tornabuoni, the most fashionable shopping street in Florence, onto which backs the great Palazzo Strozzi. Commissioned from Benedetto da Maiano by Filippo Strozzi, it is one of the outstanding Renaissance buildings in the city. Its many fine rooms play host to a succession of art exhibitions, while the ample courtyard of the Palace is always open. Going on our way to Piazza della Repubblica we find ourselves in what was the heart of Florence in Roman times, though the present piazza is the result of 19th century town planning. Returning to Piazza del Duomo and crossing it, straight ahead in Via Martelli you will soon find on your left another great Renaissance building, Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Cosimo “il Vecchio” de’ Medici commissioned it from Michelozzo in the mid-15th century. In fact the Medici left their mark on this whole area of the city. This Palazzo, which is the seat of the Province of Florence, is also a museum with splendidly decorated rooms and the wonderful Chapel frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli. If you have no time for a visit you should at least take a look at the courtyard.

Two places with close ties to this Palace are the nearby church of San Lorenzo and the Monastery of San Marco. San Lorenzo was the family church of the Medici family. In its present form it was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, and is a superlatively pure example of Renaissance architecture. The façade has remained unfinished, while the interior contains numerous masterpieces of the art of painting. The church is surrounded by other notable places, such as the Biblioteca Mediceo Laurenziana and the Medici Chapels, including the Old Sacristy, another masterpiece by Michelangelo. The whole area is enlivened by day with a colourful market of clothing and accessories, which is very popular with tourists.

Returning to Palazzo Medici and continuing along Via Cavour you reach Piazza San Marco, one side of which is occupied by the church and monastery of San Marco. The monastery (of the Dominicans of Fiesole) was an active intellectual centre in the city, with Cosimo il Vecchio investing generously in its enlargement and embellishment. The Museum housed in the monastery is remarkable for the Renaissance frescoes of Beato Angelico, while the Library is a masterwork of Michelozzo.
Just off Piazza San Marco is the Galleria dell’Accademia, one of the most frequented of Florentine museums because it contains Michelangelo’s celebrated David. Yet the museum also houses other interesting sculptures by the same artist and a fine range of Tuscan paintings from the 13th to the 16th century. Continuing on our way we come to the Piazza Santissima Annuziata, surrounded by building with porticos, the most important being the Spedale degli Innocenti, the work of Filippo Brunelleschi. Originally intended for the acceptance and care of abandoned children, as early as 1440 it contained a museum and has many rooms of great artistic interest. The church of the Santissima Annunziata was built in the mid 13th century for the Servite Order; the interior has frescoes by Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino.

To the left of the church, at the corner of Via Capponi, is the entrance to the Museo Archeologico, with a vastly important collection of Etruscan, Roman and above all Egyptian findings. Your visit to the museum takes you also into the beautiful garden, in which Etruscan tombs have been reconstructed.
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