We spent the day in Siena—another lovely city in the hills and once a major power in the region. Nestled on top of three hills, Rick Steves calls it "Italy’s ultimate hill town." The top left photo shows a view through the morning haze up one of the three hills to the Duomo. The top right photo above illustrates the steepness of streets in Siena.
The second row above shows the San Domenico church and its facade. San Domenico contains two important holy relics--the thumb and the mummified head of St. Catherine of Siena. I did not take photos of either. Why her head, you ask? St. Catherine died while in Rome, but her hometown Siena wanted her body. Realizing they were unable to smuggle her whole body past Roman guards, thieves took only her head and concealed it in a bag. Stopped by guards, the thieves prayed to Catherine to protect them. When guards examined the bag, they apparently found only hundreds of rose petals. When the thieves returned to Siena, Catherine's mummified head had re-materialized—her final miracle. Her head was then placed in a reliquary for all to see. I don't know how her thumb was obtained.
The bottom left photo above shows Il Campo—the largest piazza in Siena. It's fan-shaped! The pool is at the edge of the piazza.
The second row above shows the San Domenico church and its facade. San Domenico contains two important holy relics--the thumb and the mummified head of St. Catherine of Siena. I did not take photos of either. Why her head, you ask? St. Catherine died while in Rome, but her hometown Siena wanted her body. Realizing they were unable to smuggle her whole body past Roman guards, thieves took only her head and concealed it in a bag. Stopped by guards, the thieves prayed to Catherine to protect them. When guards examined the bag, they apparently found only hundreds of rose petals. When the thieves returned to Siena, Catherine's mummified head had re-materialized—her final miracle. Her head was then placed in a reliquary for all to see. I don't know how her thumb was obtained.
The bottom left photo above shows Il Campo—the largest piazza in Siena. It's fan-shaped! The pool is at the edge of the piazza.
Siena is probably most famous for the Palio—a horse race conducted twice a year in the city’s largest piazza, Il Campo. The horses are sponsored by the 17 neighborhood contrade. Ten horses race each time.The horses and their order at the start drawn by lottery. Thousands of people crowd onto the piazza to watch using mattresses to protect themselves from errant riders and horses..
The horse banner signals that the Forest Contrada won the last Palio. We got to visit the headquarters of the Lupa Contrada (Lupa is the she-wolf that took care of Romulus and Remus, Rome's founders). Anna, another Rick Steves guide, is a member of Lupa. She made it possible for our group to go inside Lupa's headquarters—somewhere most travelers don't get to visit. Each contrada has its own chapel and a collection of artifacts from past Palio races.
The horse banner signals that the Forest Contrada won the last Palio. We got to visit the headquarters of the Lupa Contrada (Lupa is the she-wolf that took care of Romulus and Remus, Rome's founders). Anna, another Rick Steves guide, is a member of Lupa. She made it possible for our group to go inside Lupa's headquarters—somewhere most travelers don't get to visit. Each contrada has its own chapel and a collection of artifacts from past Palio races.
We saw a lot of beautiful duomos on this trip. But, my favorite among them has to be the Duomo di Siena. The beautiful stripes, inside and out, the art, the striking architecture, the fascinating roof, and the gorgeous domes all combine to create a truly inspiring building. This 13th Century Gothic cathedral was designed and completed between 1215 and 1263 on the site of an earlier structure. The dome was completed in 1264. This is another striped cathedral. The tower’s marble strips apparently get thinner as the building gets taller. From the ground, it looks even taller than its actual six stories.
Stained glass window: "The burial, assumption, and coronation of Mary" (Museum of the Duomo). It was created between 1287 and 1288 and is viewed as one of the most important works by Duccio di Buoninsegna.
Welcome Itinerary Padova Vicenza Ravenna Montefalco Assisi San Pietro a Pettine Deruta Orvieto Civita di Bagnoregio Chianciano Term
Tuscany San Gimignano Florence American Cemetery
Lucca Carrara Cinque Terre/Levanto Orta San Guilio
How far did we walk? FAQ Tips for Italian Travel Gelato Arrivederci
Tuscany San Gimignano Florence American Cemetery
Lucca Carrara Cinque Terre/Levanto Orta San Guilio
How far did we walk? FAQ Tips for Italian Travel Gelato Arrivederci