 Siena would have been the greatest wannabe Florence.
Throughout its illustrations past , it direct competed. But its
inner temperament produced its own genius that even surpassed the
great Florentine achievements. If the latter was extrovert, always
cogent and deeply thoughtful, Siena was extrovert fluid and often
decorous. While Florence produced genius of artists, Siena had
artists like Duccio, Simone Martini, and the Lorenzetti brothers
who invented a distinctive Sienese art style, a highly developed
Gothicism that was an excellent artistic foil to the emerging
Florentine Renaissance.
Yet, what makes Siena different is its "red tilescape" that tops
Gothic palaces cake shops and altarpieces of unsurpassed beauty.
Your trip to destination Italy would be incomplete without a visit
to this unique brick red city.
On Il Campo--The Heart of
Siena
In Siena, all roads including Vie Branch lead to Loggia della
Mercanzia This is where the city merchants argued their respective
cases against an absolutely fair tribunal . Instead you can take
the tunnel like stepped alleys Piazza del Campo (Ilcampo) ,
arguably the most beautiful piazza in all Italy. Resembling a
sloping scallop shell, even the pavement pattern is symbolic - it
divides into 9 sections denoting the city's ruling body, the
council of nine. And the engineers designed the Campos tilt and fan
shape judiciously- it meshes with the city's water system and
subterranean canal network. The Palazza Publico - the townhall is
the finest piece of gothic architecture, while Museo Civico
displays sienna's best art. The tall brick church tower called the
tall Torre Del Mangia (1338-provides a breath taking view of the
city provided you can climb its 503 steps.
Museo Civico
Walk straight into Sala del Risorgimento, where you can see the
illustrious career of Italy's first king Vittorio Emanuele II
illustrated. On the other hand the Sala di Balia beyond the foot of
the stairs was frescoed (1407) by Spinello Aretino and his son
Parri, with scenes from the Life of Pope Alexander III, including
an exceptional naval battle. Amble across to Anticamera del
Concistoro that has a detached Ambrogio Lorenzetti fresco on the
entrance wall and a Matteo di Giovanni Madonna and Child. The
issues of governance are tackled repeatedly especially in the
frescoed Sala del Concistoro . The vestibule has a masterpiece on
its altar - Madonna and Child with Saints by Sodoma.
However its the Sala della Pace that steals the show with its
spectacular fresco Allegory of Good and Bad Government and Their
Effects on the Town and Countryside by Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Employing art for cure purposes, it clearly demarcates the virtues
and vices respectively of good and bad governance in dazzling
fresco that stretches for an incredible distance.
Casa di Santa Caterina
The woman saint of Sienna, Caterina Benincasa, daughter of a
rich Sienese dyer , was remarkable in every respect. She was marked
by stigmata and Christ's wounds; became Siena's ambassador, won
over Pope Gregory who returned to Rome leaving Avignon. . Not
surprisingly, she was canonized and was declared the patron saint
of Italy.
Her natal house remains simple, masonry with a small brick
layered courtyard. The Loggia just beyond and leads to the old
family kitchen. It has been made into an oratory with paintings by
the masters. The church is opposite and gives the pleasure of
"crucifixion" where the woman saint received the stigmata. It gives
a spiritual twist to your travel to destination Italy.
Oratorio di San Bernardino e Museo
Diocesano
This the abode of St. Bernardine when he stepped into the role
of the monk . The oratory stands over the exact spot of the prayer
place . The two lower levels are stunningly frescoed by eminent
Siennese artists and reveals a dazzling Madonna by Sano di Pietro.
the upper level has frescos by artists Sodoma, Domenico Beccafumi,
and Girolamo del Pacchia |
