Siena Tuscany Italy

Piazza del Campo

What a poor name has been given one of the most charming squares in Italy!
Believe it or not: wherever you will come from, sooner or later the magic attraction of this place will lead you to the “Campo”.

At first just an edge of sky will shine through the arches of the houses, followed by battlements, then parts of the declining place – and there it is with the town hall and its slim “Torre del Mangia”, all nicely melting with the wide shell shaped place and its surrounding oval of houses. As a city Siena presents herself predominantly in Gothic style, impressive and simply overwhelming, also with regard to the cathedral initially planned even more monumental.

A creature of the Medieval, the city planners of Siena over centuries continued strictly with the building concept once designed following esthetical aspects, and in doing so probably came up with the most rigid construction rules in Italy.
Besides that there was a most stringent code of conduct for all citizens in vigour, certainly not favouring an easy and always happy life in the community. Siena owed his original wealth and prosperity to its location on the “Via Francigena”, the Francs’ Road. The people from Siena were most clever merchants and increased their wealth trading with textiles – and money. One of their biggest debtors were the popes. Which, on the other side, did not prevent Siena from being faithful with the emperor. In the Medieval conflicts and wars luck was changing sides very often, in the end, however, Siena after a long series of battles was completely defeated by Florence with the help of Spain. Thus the city came under the ruling hands of the Florentines. The Francs’ Road lost its importance, and so did Siena. There is no mention of Etruscan ancestors at Siena. Also during the Roman empire there has probably not been more than just a military camp, which on the other hand was sufficient for Siena to deduct their origins as stemming from Remus, the twin brother of the famous founder of Rome.

The Palio, the famous horse race, takes place twice per year in Piazza del Campo
with dates 2nd of July and 16th of August – always dedicated to virgin Mary the city’s patron

There is sufficient parking area including parking houses outside the city centre, from there it is just a few minutes foot-walk to the old town on top of the hill.