Siena
Siena is said to be magical, due to the many esoteric tales that distinguish it, gothic and medieval for its monuments, artistic heritage and traditions that have been handed down for centuries.
Siena cannot be told in two words, it is a city that must be seen and lived at least for a few days to realize that it offers an exciting and unforgettable experience.
A note written above one of its doors, Porta Camollia, reads:
“Cor magis tibi Sena pandit” (Siena opens your heart).
In the years between 1150 and 1300 there were numerous artists who created extraordinary monuments, among which one of the most important is certainly the Duomo.
In 1295 work began on the construction of the Town Hall which was completed in 1340. It is the oldest public building in Italy that has preserved its original function over the centuries. Next to it was built the Torre del Mangia, 102 meters high, finished in 1348.
Moreover, in the field of painting and sculpture, the Sienese masters distinguished themselves for their artistic qualities and skills that in some ways preceded the period of the great Tuscan Renaissance.
There are many artistic works signed by great masters such as Donatello, Pinturicchio, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Sodom, Pietro Lorenzetti, Baldassarre Peruzzi, Beccafumi, Federico Zuccari, Moroni, Jacopo della Quercia, Giovanni Pisano, Simone Martini, who adorn the different churches, the Duomo and the Palazzo Pubblico of the city.
Photo
Maurizio
Rellini
The Palio
The Palio di Siena is perhaps the most popular folkloristic event in the world, a sacred / pagan festival among the most heartfelt, exciting and followed.
It is held in the city twice a year, exactly 2 July and 16 August. Sometimes for very special occasions there may be a third Palio, called "extraordinary", the first one ran on June 2, 1861 to celebrate the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy.
The Palio is animated by the seventeen Contradas, which are real organs similar to small states.
Visiting Piazza del Campo in the days of the Palio means seeing it in a completely different light: the tuff, the shape of the shell square, the wooden boxes that surround the runway and the colors of the handkerchiefs, give a new romantic vision that is difficult to replicate; anyone who arrives in Siena for the party cannot help but feel involved in this atmosphere of those days is unique in the world, like the Palio itself.
Date
2 luglio - 16 agosto
traditional cuisine
Siena has a long culinary tradition, perhaps due to the richness of the medieval period and the presence of numerous taverns and hospitality points along the Via Francigena.
Among the many dishes we recommend: the pici, a kind of large handmade spaghetti, originating in the Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana areas, usually served with meat sauce or "all'aglione" the "zuppa di pane", a vegetable and bean soup served on slices of toasted bread, whose main ingredient is black cabbage; "la ribollita", which is the same soup called so because it is heated the next day and even improves its flavor.
Pienza pecorino, Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, oil and wild boar salami.
Mixed roasts, which include sausages, pork "costoleccio", veal or beef loin.
The game, which includes all the local species, both boiled and stewed wild boar, widespread throughout the province, but typical of the Monticiano area.
Typical sweets, among which the famous Panforte i Ricciarelli, il Pan co 'Santi, the copate and the cavallucci.
