The recurrence of an anniversary is always an event to celebrate, especially if you achieve 20 years milestone.
The reference is to the inclusion of the historic center of Siena in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized just in 1995, more than 20 years ago.
Since then, Siena has maintained its primacy thanks to constant care for the palaces, churches and squares that are part of the historic center, enriching the architectural beauty with the art of hospitality, the most appreciated feature by tourists from around the world.
Before arriving here, it’s interesting to know the reasons given by UNESCO to reach this decision, “Siena is the embodiment of a medieval city. The Gothic appearance, acquired between the XII and the XV century, has been preserved with great accuracy […] and the whole city was conceived as a work of art that blends into the surrounding landscape”.
Photo credits: http://www.mimibelrose.com/a-weekend-in-siena-italy/
There is another aspect that reinforces the importance of Siena as part of World Heritage Sites, that is, the universal symbol of peace chosen by UNESCO, a figure present in the fresco realized by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, entitled Effetti del Buon Governo (Effects of Good Government).
It is a woman dressed in white, a detail of the fresco that can be seen in the Civic Museum, one of the essential steps during your stay in the city.
Photo credits: http://lasaladellearmi.com/tag/effetti-del-cattivo-governo-in-citta-e-in-campagna/
About the must-sees, we propose a historical path recommended also to who visited Siena several times.
What to visit in Siena in a half day tour
The idea for this itinerary is provided by a guided tour scheduled on Wednesday 27th January, “Oltre il Ponte di Romana”, organized by the Noble Contrada del Nicchio, the Contrada Valley of the Ram, the Fondazione Conservatori Riuniti di Siena and the Confraternita della Santissima.
This guided tour, dedicated to Baroque style, it will begin at 10:00 am at Via dei Pispini (where is located the Noble Contrada del Nicchio) and reservations are required by phone at 329 4140795, or by email to fiorenzanip@hotmail.it.
Regarding instead the unmissable stages in the historic center, after the visit to Piazza del Campo and Mangia Tower we suggest you continue along Via di Città to the Cathedral, then towards the Basilica of San Domenico, located on the hill of Camporegio.
The Basilica is connected to the history of St. Catherine of Siena, as it houses some of the most important works of art related to the figure of the Saint: the majesty by Guido da Siena, the fresco by Andrea Vanni considered the only true portrait of Santa Catherine made during her life; the cycle of frescoes by Sodoma, located in the Chapel, which contains the reliquary with the head of the Saint, and the Worship of the Shepherds by Francesco di Giorgio Martini).
In a while you’ll realize that this is a unique place, where the monuments and churches mentioned above are a starting point for those who want to know the origins of the city of the Palio, rich in art masterpieces and unforgettable landscapes.
For further info, read our post about what to do in Siena in 36 hours.
Preview photo: Veduta di Siena: By Luca Aless (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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