Burnt Siena in Tuscany

Piazza del Campo

In all the times I have used burnt sienna in watercolor, it had never occurred to me that burnt sienna has its roots in Siena, Italy (the city is spelled with one "n").  This color is named for the earth hue found in this part of the Tuscany region and was a favorite shade of Italian Renaissance painters.  Today, paint manufacturers (of the higher quality pigments) still fashion burnt sienna using the raw earth material.  In this process, raw Siena earth is roasted at specific temperatures then ground to fine powder and turned into paint pigments.  The method, of course, is more complicated than what is described here, but I'm sure you would rather read about beautiful Siena, the city, than about the technical process of creating paint pigments.  So, off we go to Siena to have a look at the raw material for ourselves.    

After eight hours of traveling by bus, my energy level waned, and I could no longer keep up with what the tour guide was broadcasting over the speakers.  The bits and pieces I was able to gather from my semi-conscious state was that we would be taking a historical tour of Siena with a local guide.  

According to our guide, legend has it that Senius, son of Remus and nephew of Romulus (as in "Rome") created this city.  Hence, statues of a she-wolf feeding Remus and Romulus are displayed throughout the city.  History, however, indicates that the Lombards, a Germanic tribe which ruled one of the kingdoms in Italy in 568 and 774 routed their trading routes via this town.  By mid-12th century, Siena became a wealthy city known for its banking and trading, as well as for its military prowess.  

  

She-wolf statue

The boys and I trailed our guide into old town Siena, winding through narrow cobblestoned streets and passing gothic and romanesque architecture.  The city looked like any other Tuscany city at this point, but as we turned the corner, I heard my friend say, "What do you think?"  My eyes widened, my jaw dropped, and the only word that escaped me was "Wow!".  We had arrived at the square. 

Piazza from the tower

Piazza del Campo ("Il Campo" to the Sienese) is a unique slanted fan shape piazza with the wider part angled slightly higher.  There are no other squares like it in the world (I am sure of it).  Around the square are four and five story buildings encircling the perimeter, with restaurants and shops anchoring the square.  Red bricks arranged in fishbone patterns overlay the piazza and travertine stones separate the "fan" into nine wedges representing "The Government of Nine" who ruled over the city from 1292 to 1355.  This square was a gathering point for Sienese (all 60,000 people) to view tournaments, events, and races.  The shape and tilt of the square allowed for "optimal" viewing of the stage area from anywhere in the crowd.  Buffalo races and gladiator tournaments are by-gones, but Il Palio (the bi-annual horse race) is still popular today with locals and tourists alike.  

  

Most people plan their vacation around Il Palio, which is celebrated twice a year on July 2 as "Palio di Provenzano" and on August 16 as "Il Palio dell'Assunta".  The entire race lasts 90 seconds but promises to drive the spectator's anxiety and adrenalin to the hilt.  Of course, we arrived too early to watch the bare-back-riding horse race that finishes as quickly as it starts.  We were, however, fortunate to be in Siena today to catch the parade of the contrada (neighborhoods), a series of parades and events that take place months before the race.  Of the seventeen contrada, only ten will be selected to participate in the Il Palio race. The seven contrada who are not selected will, by default, participate in the race the following year. 

Parade of Contrada to celebrate a patron saint

Absorbed in the festivity, we separated from the group and followed the parade as it circled the piazza.  We could have stayed longer, but decided it was best to rejoin the group.  By now, finding the group wasn't that easy.  We did know that they were heading to Duomo di Siena, and with the help of the Sienese police, we made our way to the cathedral. 

In another surprise for the eyes, we arrived at the end of a narrow passageway to see a magnificent 13th century cathedral constructed of white and greenish black marble - and our friends who waved frantically for us to hurry.  The interior was a dizzying arrays of stripes and ornate decorations - something to marvel at if we had more time.    

Duomo di Siena's construction began in the first half of the 13th century in the form of a Latin cross

(L) Cupola added in 1264 

(R) Greenish black and white marble decorates the interior of the church

(Black and white are the symbolic colors of Siena) 

Siena is by far my favorite city out of the three from our 'Tuscany in One Day' visit.  There is so much to do and so much to see that a couple of hours leave you thirsting for more.  

From the Duomo, it was a rush to get back to the bus for a long ride back to Florence - our next stop on leg two of the Amazing Race.

Trip Details:

Sightseeing tour:  We booked our "Tuscany in One Day" via Hotel Perseo in Florence.  The children's tickets are free with a purchase of an adult ticket.  We paid 80 euros for one adult (and two kids) tickets for a 12 hours sightseeing tour on a comfortable bus.