Residenza d'Epoca Palazzo Fani Mignanelli - Siena

Siena is one of Italy most beautiful cities, situated in the centre of Tuscany between the Chianti area and Maremma, rich in history, art and popular traditions; it is the city of the Palio. The Palio of Siena takes place twice a year, on July 2nd and August 16th. On very special occasions a third Palio is held, termed straordinario, the first of which took place on June 2nd 1861 to celebrate the newly proclaimed unified Kingdom of Italy.
At the heart of Siena is the Piazza del Campo, famous for its shell-shape, and still the focus of city life. Within the square in the Fonte Gaia, a fountain unique in its quadrangular form and beautiful figures around the edges. The original by Jacopo della Quercia is now in Santa Maria della Scala, but a copy by Tito Sarrocchi gives an accurate account of this remarkable water feature for the visitors today.
The famous Torre del Mangia and the Palazzo Pubblico form one of the sides of Piazza del Campo. The tower, built in 1848 and 102 metres high, gives excellent views over Siena and the surrounding countryside. Palazzo Pubblico, built between 1297 and 1342 is an example of classic Gothic architecture in Tuscany, and houses an amazing array of frescoes by artists such as Vecchietta, Simone Martini and Sodoma.
The Duomo or cathedral is a beautiful building, a mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture with dark green and white marble in the facade. It contains works by many artists, including Donatello, Pisano and Arnolfo di Cambio. One of its main attractions is the marble-inlaid floor, to which many artists contributed. The museum of the Duomo, in the same piazza, contains some original statues by Pisano moved for conservation and many artworks, including the famous "Maesta" by Duccio di Buoninsegna. In the same piazza as the Duomo is the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala, which now houses a museum complex, exhibiting frescoes, works of art, temporary shows and treasures collected during its millennial history.
Three important buildings mark the piazza of Salimbeni, but the Palazzo Salimbeni is the most important, marking the headquarters of the Sienese bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena, founded more than 500 years ago.

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