Siena
Culture
Siena (ancient Saena Julia ) is a tourist center and a market for the wine
and marble produced in the area. Manufactures include chemicals,
fertilizers, and textiles. Terra (or raw) sienna, used as a pigment in
paints, is produced in the vicinity. The cathedral (11th-14th century) is
one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. The Gothic
style municipal palace, begun in 1288 and finished in 1309, contains
numerous paintings by Sienese artists. Among the city's noteworthy
public institutions is the University of Siena (1240), with faculties of
medicine and law. An ancient Roman town, Siena became an
independent commune in the 12th century. In the 16th century Siena
was subjugated by its rival Florence. (Encarta Siena)
According to the mythology, Siena was founded by Senus, son of
Remus, who remains the symbol of the city to this day. Unpolluted by
industry and massive tourism, modern-day Siena only hints at its glory
days. Henry James said, "The Siena of today is a mere shrunken
semblance of the rabid little republic which in the 13th century waged
triumphant war with Florence, cultivated the arts with splendor, planned
a cathedral of proportions almost unequaled." Dante, among other
notables, studied at the university of Siena, one of the oldest in Italy.
Perhaps that is why it is said that the Sienese speak the purest Italian.
In many ways Siena determined the course of Florentine art as well. A
good example can be found in the Palazzo Publico in the sala dell Pace
(aka sala del Nove): Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Allegory of Good and Bad
Government. One can also see the evolution of Sienese painting in the
Pinacoteca Nationale, where Byzantine Madonnas give way to the
humanistic Modonnas of the Renaissance. (Young 202)
Piazza del Campo
Declared to be "the most beautiful square in the world" by Montaigne,
the piazza is a downward terrace to a central fountain. The piazza is
divided into nine segments to honor the government of the Nine, leading
merchants and bankers who ruled Siena from 1283 to 1353 and were,
incidentally, the most stable government Siena ever had. The Nine built
the Cathedral and the Palazzo Publico from which the Torre del Mangia
rises. Henry James called the Torre del Mangia, whose 332 steps you
can climb today, "the finest thing in Siena". (Tucker 338)
Il Duomo
The overwhelming cathedral inspired many, among them Wagner, who wrote Parsifal after one of his Sienese vacations. One of the most amazing things is the cathedral floor which is covered in the technique known as graffito. The Libreria Piccolomini, off the left nave, is frescoed by Pinturicchio. Some of the faces are believed to have been painted by the young Rapheal.
Siena is also famous for its noisy, ultra-competative horse race, the Palio. First run in 1656, the Palio now takes place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16 - sometimes three times if there is a special event to commemorate (such as the moon landing). Each horse in the race represents a contrada or small group of streets - each with its own flag and symbol. The horses race around the piazza on a thin layer of sawdust and can win without a rider. Casulties are not uncommon. The winning horse is awarded, at the victory banquet, with its hooves painted gold and a bag of sugar and fodder. (Tucker 343)
Impressions
Horse Race
During the Palio horse race, 17 horses, representing sections of the town, run three breakneck laps around the sawdust-covered road surrounding the terraced piazza. The event is hugely popular with the tourists and for good reason. Competition is rabid and the tradition strong. Many who come to see the race never actually get close enough enough to see the action. The jockeys ride bareback and commonly fall off; the horse, however, can win without a rider. Irish (our host in Livorno), tells us that the several false-starts at the beginning of each race are actually opportunities for the jockies to exchange wagers and payoffs from their respective districts. This unsavory activity is not encouraged, but it is not discouraged either. -Ben Perry