Siena

We are off to the races...

On our way to Siena, we passed by many rows of the typical Tuscan cypress trees. Apparently, the reason we often associate these trees with cemeteries is that the roots of the cypress tree grow straight down. Therefore, they are ideal for use in cemeteries because they will not damage the graves.

Historical Walking Tour of Siena

As we arrived in Siena in the late afternoon, we discovered that the Crayola crayon color, burnt siena, is aptly named. Every structure within view was exactly that color. We checked into our hotel, an enchanting old villa called Hotel Chiusarelli, and then met our local guide, Anna Lisa. She took us on a historical walking tour of the city and pointed out the many famous sites along the way such as the headquarters of the oldest bank in the world, Monte dei Paschi di Siena. The bank has continuously operated since 1472.

Our walking tour was especially enjoyable due to the fact that Siena is a pedestrian’s paradise with no cars allowed on the main square.

What we remember most about Siena, is the Il Campo. It is the large plaza in the city where they host the 600-year old tradition called the Palio (medieval horse races) every July and August. Contradas are the neighborhoods in Siena (seventeen of them), that sponsor the races. Our walking tour ended at the Contrada della Selva, which is the social center that sponsored last year’s winning Palio horse.

While we were shown an informative video about the races, we were served a 4-course meal by the gracious volunteers of the contrada. After the meal was over, we were told (much to our surprise) that the beef stew we had for our fourth course was really made with wild boar meat! Although we had never had wild boar meat before, we actually quite enjoyed it!

The Cathedral and the Baptistery

After that, it was time to move on to see the cathedral and the baptistery. When we entered this 13th century Gothic cathedral, our eyes were immediately drawn to the exquisite marble mosaic floors. In addition, we found ourselves gazing at the incredible statues of Michelangelo and Bernini. Definitely worth seeing is the Piccolomini Library with the vividly painted 550-year old frescoes on the walls. Although these frescoes were never restored, the colors remain bright as if they were just recently painted. It is a mystery how anyone can concentrate in prayer while surrounded by so much beauty.

With the afternoon free to explore Siena, we joined a few others from the group to walk around shopping and then stopped for tea, coffee, and pastries. Our window seat in the warm cafe was the best way to relax and enjoy the view. Watching both the locals and tourists pass by on the Il Campo on a cold, rainy afternoon added even more to this simple, yet memorable experience.

DAY 12

The Stained-Glass Workshop

Our day began with a very cold, wet morning, but nothing would dampen our spirits! Filled with excitement, we were off to visit a stained-glass workshop. One of the best parts of being on a Rick Steves’ tour are the special arrangements he makes for us to meet the local artisans. We have the opportunity to observe their work up close and personal. Massimo, the man who worked here, was very funny, entertaining, and spoke very good English. He later mentioned that his wife is American. Finding ourselves in awe of his incredible talent, we watched closely as he demonstrated the many steps for creating a stained-glass piece and then showed us a window he was currently working on for a university in the United States.

Fun Facts About the Palio:

Before the race, the horses are brought into the church to be blessed.
It's the horse, not the jockey who wins the race.
The jockeys are not from the contradas which hire them. They are therefore open to bribes from opposing contradas.

Siena The neoclassically decorated lobby of the Hotel Chiusarelli where we stayed in Siena	Siena The Hotel Chiusarelli where we stayed in Siena	Siena Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena; the oldest bank in the world with uninterrupted operations since 1472
Siena	Siena	Siena Siena has a similar legend of its founding as Rome except that the brothers are Senius and Aschius, sons of Remus.
Siena	Siena Chocolate Central	Siena
Siena	Siena The Palazzo Pubblico	Siena Il Campo
Siena Il Campo, the main square of Siena where the Palio (horse races) take place twice a year	Siena The Palazzo Pubblico and its Torre del Mangia in Il Campo, the square where the Palio takes place twice a year	Siena A private, quiet little patio with a view
Siena	Siena La Contrada della Selva	Siena The banner salon of the Contrada della Selva. Their banners, posters and regalia from past Palios are housed here.
Siena The dining hall at the contrada	Siena The rooftops of Siena	Siena Massimo, the master stained-glass window maker, explained to the group the process to creating a work of art.
Siena At the stained glass window shop	Siena One of the final steps in creating a stained glass window	Siena
Siena	Siena The cathedral would have been twice as large if it were not for the Black Plague. Construction was never finished.This would have been the main part. Today, however, it is a parking lot.	Siena Facade of the Cathedral
Siena Main door of the baptistery	Siena	Siena The Picollomini Library in the cathedral
Siena The mosaic floors of the cathedral	Siena	Siena Main altar of the cathedral
Siena The Choir	Siena The dome	Siena
Siena Griffin	Siena The Baptistery of San Giovanni, outside of, but adjacent to the cathedral	Siena The ceiling of the baptistery
Siena The baptismal font	Siena A panel in the baptistery