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Siena, Italy
August 9 2018
An easy train ride to Siena – I’m on
another Jazz train (did they know I was coming!?)
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| all aboard the jazz train... |
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| then change to the swingin' train |
A splurge for a taxi after debating the
luggage vs bus option, to find the accommodation.
Old Siena’s streets wind narrow and
complex. The accommodation is a spacious apartment
with noisy, but very welcome air conditioning.
The bedroom window overlooks a beautiful
green valley, and across it more of old Siena.
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| window view |
A short walk up an incline, and I see a
market area, and the imposing rear façade of the Palazzo Publico – the massive
building that held the offices of the Republican government, parts of it now a
museum, but also functioning as the city hall.
Through a lane up a street and there is the
famous Piazza Del Campo, with the imposing Torre Del Mangia (tower).
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| Piazza Del Campo, Palazzo Publico & Torre |
Thing is, it’s a week away from the second
of the bi-annual and ancient horse races held in Siena – Palio Di Siena. So
there are wooden bleachers built all the way around the Piazza, lining a
temporary sanded track. The bleachers make for difficult navigation and limited
enjoyment of walking around the Piazza, much blocked off, little space and many
tourists.
It is obvious that we are really in tourist
land, its summer, its Tuscany and everyone is here. One day a return visit out
of season would be lovely, preferably after the Palio and all the madness has
finished. I learned (google is my friend) that this race is ancient and a huge
part of Sienese life, so perhaps not the greatest time to try to see the city.
But no matter, I’m here, so a push and shove through the striped T shirts,
short shorts and sandals, onto lovely streets and walk and walk, and
marvel at all the wonderful buildings. There are so many.
I find my way to the gothic majesty that is
Duomo di Siena – the Siena Cathedral. I have never seen anything like it. It is
striped in deep green-black and white marble.
It is late in the afternoon, so it isn’t going
to be open much longer, but it is enough to sit on its mighty steps and enjoy
its exteriors. Then wander slowly around and look at the carvings, the
beautiful floor design, all of it. A note to self to return tomorrow to go
inside.
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| Duomo di Siena |
I go across the way to the Museum, Santa Maria della Scala –
it closes at 7pm, so I get my ticket and free audio guide and begin.
This is the most interesting, extensive, diverse
and fantastically laid out museum I have come across. It was once a medieval
refuge - it offered safety to pilgrims, the poor, abandoned children: it
is swimming with souls.
There is a video display explaining the history
of Siena, there is an explanation of the building complex’s layout and history
(love my audio guide, the soothing voice makes me want to nap though...)
Walk into Pilgrim’s Hall: the ancient
wards, enormous halls, which are lined with many frescoes depicting scenes, stories,
important people who passed through here.
There’s a chapel inside with ornate
paintings and relics housed in golden receptacles. How odd to think that people
collected body parts of other people they thought holy. Decaying bits of bone
in a gilded box.
Then wander through an extensive
underground labyrinth exhibiting ancient Etruscan artefacts. There’s a passage
connecting two buildings, through which carts and wagons would have carried
goods and food, and they project video scenes of this on the walls and the
imagination delights.
There are more levels and art works. There
were various exhibitions on themes – some by contemporary artists, an installation that you walked through with sound accompaniment, projections, three-dimensional
works. Other temporary exhibitions by specific artists, modern art, and more I
didn’t see. I particularly loved the Children’s art section, with pieces
displayed on the theme, interwoven with interactive art project stations for
children to engage with the works or just create. How marvellous.
I just loved this museum. A couple of
absolutely absorbing hours spent here, and I could have stayed longer. My
favourite.
More walking, window shopping and wandering
and finally back to the sloping Piazza Del Campo to sit and eat my daily gelato fix, and people-watch as the
sun goes down behind the Palazzo, its after 8pm. Families and dogs, kids, toy
salesmen selling cheap little plastic lights you throw into the air, its all
rather festive. A strange dinner of Riboletta – a thick Tuscan soup (which is
more like a veg stew with soggy bread in it) – it is typically Tuscan so I figure I should try it. Not a hit. Oh well.
Day 2 of Siena
I take a long walk along around and about, admiring the old walkways, large buildings, churches and more churches... and finally find the ancient Fontebranda – an ancient and giant water tank rather than
a fountain. It is a beautiful tank! It’s peaceful and not busy here – off the
beaten tourist track. A couple walking their dog. I watch some birds enjoy the
water.
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| fontebranda |
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| Beautiful Siena |
At some point (and I forget when in the scheme of things I did this) I visit Pinacoteca Nazionale - an art gallery housing works by Renaissance artists and chock full of religious polyptychs. Golden gold gold and gilded and glittering and all the saints and bible folk are there and they're all various levels of gold. (!)
Back to the Duomo and this time queue to enter the main part. It is just breath-taking: Incredibly ornate and replete with artwork and sculpture and the most ostentatious pulpit. The floors. Oh my, the floors - mosaics in such beautiful designs. Special flooring to prevent damage from millions of tourist feet covers most of it, but there are parts exposed and they are wonderful to see.
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| Duomo interior |
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| The pulpit to top all pulpits! |
There is more walking, window-shopping and
wandering with a few more church visits, up and down stairs and slopes, and
soon I am museum-ed and churched out. A nice dinner, and relax in the apartment
with the door open before bed. Firenze tomorrow, I look forward to meeting
David!
