Page 346 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

344  CENTR AL IT AL Y

Exploring Siena between 1338 and 1348, it was
named after the first bell-ringer,
Once a capital to rival Florence, Siena is Italy’s prettiest whose idleness led to the
medieval town, still endowed with the grandeur of the age in nickname Mangiaguadagni
which it was at its peak (1260–1348). Begin an exploration of (literally “eat the profits”). There
its historic centre in Piazza del Campo and the surrounding are 505 steps to the wonderful
views at the top.
maze of medieval alleys.
P Santuario e Casa di
Santa Caterina
Costa di Sant’Antonio. Tel 0577 28 81
75. Open daily.
Siena’s patron saint, Catherine
Benincasa (1347–80), was the
daughter of a tradesman. At the
age of eight she devoted herself
to God and had many visions,
as well as later receiving the
stigmata (wounds of Christ).
Like her namesake, St Catherine
of Alexandria, she was believed
to have been betrothed to the
Christ child in a vision – a scene
which inspired many artists.
Her eloquence persuaded Pope
Gregory XI to return the seat of
the papacy to Rome in 1376,
after 67 years of exile in Avig-
non. St Catherine died in Rome
and was canonized in 1461.
Today Catherine’s house is
Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good Government (c.1338–40), Palazzo Pubblico surrounded by chapels and
cloisters. Among them is the
P Palazzo Pubblico Bartolo, and the choir stalls (1428) Church of the Crucifixion, which
Piazza del Campo 1. Tel 0577 29 22 32. are decorated with wooden was built in 1623 in her orchard
Museo Civico & Torre del Mangia: panels inlaid with biblical scenes. to house the late 12th-century
Open Mid-Mar–end Oct: 10am–7pm The Sala della Pace contains the Crucifixion, in front of which
daily; Nov–mid-Mar: to 6pm daily famous Allegory of Good and Bad she received the stigmata in
(Tower: to 4pm) (last adm: 45 mins Government (c.1338–40), a pair of 1375. The house is decorated
before closing). & frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. with paintings of events from
Although it continues in its They form one of the most her life by artists including her
ancient role as Siena’s town hall, important series of secular contemporaries Francesco
the Palazzo Pubblico’s medieval paintings from the Middle Ages. Vanni and Pietro Sorri.
rooms, some decorated with In the Good Government
paintings of the Sienese School, fresco civic life flourishes,
are open to the public. The while the Bad Government,
Museo Civico is housed here. The presided over by a demon,
main council chamber, or Sala del reveals rubbish-strewn
Mappamondo, is named after a streets and ruins.
map of the world painted by The Sala del Risorgimento
Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the early is covered with late 19th-
14th century. One wall is covered century frescoes illustrating
by Simone Martini’s fresco of the the events leading up to the
Maestà (1315), which depicts the unification of Italy under
Virgin in Majesty as the Queen King Vittorio Emanuele II.
of Heaven, attended by the In the palace courtyard is
Apostles, saints and angels. the entrance to the magni-
Opposite is a fresco (attributed ficent Torre del Mangia,
to Simone Martini, but possibly the palace’s huge bell tower.
later) of the mercenary Rising 102 m (330 ft), it is a
Guidoriccio da Fogliano (1330). prominent feature of
The walls of the chapel are Siena’s skyline. Built by the
covered with frescoes of the Life brothers Muccio and Cloister of Santuario e Casa di Santa Caterina,
of the Virgin (1407) by Taddeo di Francesco di Rinaldo birthplace of Siena’s patron saint
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm