Siena

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The well known bell tower of the Siena Cathedral

Siena is a city in the Italian region of Tuscany. The city has a population of about 54,000 inhabitants. Siena began as an Etruscian settlement under Roman power. In the 12th century it became an independent city with its own government. There were traditionally struggles between Siena and Florence during the middle age and the renaissance.

1 History
2 Important places in Siena
3 Sports
4 The Palio
5 Sister cities
6 Others websites
7 See Also

[change] History

- 900 to 400 BC: Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns were occuped by Etruscans that chaned the territoris with they big "technology" about irrigation and works with earth.

- 390 Battle of the Allia

- At the time of the Emperor Augustus, a Roman town called Saena Julia in the territories before host by etruscans.

- Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named, ( statues and other paints about the youth of two twins can be seen all over the city of Siena).

- Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major roads and therefore missed out on the resulting opportunities for trade.

- 774 BC: the oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards' surrender to Charlemagne.

- 1115: the death of Countess Matilda, an important point for the history of Siena, because after this the Mark of Tuscia which had been under the control of her family – the Canossa – broke up into several autonomous regions.

- Siena became a major centre of money lending and an important for trade. It was governed at first directly by its Bishop.

- During the 1100s: power of Bishop lost energy and at the same thime the biggest build of Siena, the Duomo, was completed.

- 1167: Siena, after a trouble about territories with Arezzo, became independence from the Bishop.

- 1179: Siena had a written constitution.

- Early 12th century a self-governing commune replaced the earlier aristocratic government. The consuls who governed the republic slowly became more inclusive of the poblani, or common people, and the Commune increased its territory as the surrounding feudal nobles in their fortified castles submitted to the urban power. Siena's republic, struggling internally between nobles and the popular party, usually worked in political opposition to its great rival, Florence.

- 1203: Siena's university was founded.

- September 4 1260: the Senese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of King Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine Guelphs in the Battle of Montaperti.

-1348: Siena was devastated by the Black Death.

- 1355: with Charles IV of Luxembourg in the city, the population rose and suppressed the government of the Nove (Nine), establishing that Dodici (Twelve) nobles assisted by a group with a popular majority.

- Years later gave the power Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan in order to defend it from the Florentine attacks.

- 1404: the Visconti were expelled and a government of Ten Priors established, in alliance with Florence against King Ladislas of Naples. With the election of the Sienese Pius II as Pope, the Piccolomini and other noble families were helped to return to the government, but after his death the control returned into popular hands.

- 1472: the Republic founded the Monte dei Paschi, a bank that is still active today and is the oldest surviving bank in the world.

- 1487: The noble legacy returned in the city under Pandolfo Petrucci with the support of Florence and of Alfonso of Calabria;

- Pandolfo was succeded by his son Borghese, who was ousted by his cousin Raffaello, helped by the Medici Pope Leo X. The last Petrucci was Fabio, exiled in 1523 by the Sienese people.

- Emperor Charles V took advantage of the chaotic situation to put a Spanish garrison in Siena. This citizen expelled it in 1552, with France: this was unacceptable for Charles, who sent his general Gian Giacomo Medici to lay siege to it with a Florentine-Imperial army.

- August 1554: Siena lost against Florence at the Battle of Marciano.

- After 18 months of resistance, it surrendered to Florence on April 17 1555, marking the end of the Republic of Siena. The new Spanish King Philip, owing huge sums to the Medici, ceded it (apart a series of coastal fortress annexed to the State of Presidi) to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany,

- Until the unification of Italy Siena will be controlled by Florence.

The paints in the city are still an important centre about culture, especially for humanist disciplines.

Il Campo from Torre del Mangia.

Façade of the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) during the Palio days.

Palazzo Salimbeni.

[change] Important places in Siena

Siena's cathedral
baptistery
Piazza del Campo
Palazzo Pubblico
Torre del Mangia,
Basilica dell'Osservanza
Santa Maria dei Servi
San Domenico
San Francesco
Santo Spirito
San Martino
Palazzo Chigi
Villa Chigi
Castle of Belcaro
Villa Celsa
Villa Cetinale
Villa Volte Alte
Palazzo Salimbeni, (On the "Piazza Salimbeni") a notable building and also the medieval headquarter of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks of the World.
Sanctuary of Santa Caterina, incorporating the old house of St. Catherine of Siena. It houses the miraculous Crucifix (late 12th century) from which the saint received her stigmata, and a 15th century statue of St. Catherine.
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Museum of Opera in the Duomo) where we can see the Duccio's famous Maestà (1308–1311) and various other works by Senese masters.

[change] Sports

Siena has enjoyed a long tradition in sports. Basketball and football are popular in Siena. However, other sports such as rugby union and track-and-field are also practiced.

[change] The Palio

Main article: Palio di Siena

July 2 and August 16 are the dates when the Palio di Siena is held. The Palio is a traditional medieval horse race is run around the Piazza del Campo each year. This event is attended by large crowds, and is showed on tv. televised. Seventeen Contrade run for the prize,a painted flag, or Palio bearing an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.