Siena is city and the capital of the province of Siena, which is situated in Tuscany. The province as whole is very hilly; in the north there is Monte del Chianti, the highest point in the province is Monte Amiata, which is 1738 meters above sea level.
The historic centre of the city is listed as one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites and is also one of Italy’s most visited tourist attractions. The city is famous for its food, museum, art, medieval cityscape and the Palio, which is a horse race that takes place twice a year.
Siena’s cathedral is a must see, it was built in 1380 and is a fantastic example of Romanesque-Gothic architecture. It has one very unusual feature and that is that its axis runs from north to south; the reason for this is that it was designed to be the biggest cathedral in the world with the transept running from north to south and the nave from east to west. However, the money ran out and the nave was never completed.
The Piazza del Campo is one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares. Here you can find the Palazzo Pubblico, or town hall, that dates back to 1297 and the Torre del Mangia, which is a tower that was built in 1348; at the time it was the tallest secular tower of medieval Italy.
There is also the Palazzo Salimbeni, which is an interesting building because it is the home of the medieval headquarters of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which is the oldest bank that has been in continuous existence in the Sienese economy.
Some of the other churches in the city include the Basilica dell'Osservanza, which is located on the outskirts of the city and was built around 1490. The Basilica of San Domenico was constructed in 1265, but was later expanded in the 14th century and it contains a number of relics of St Catherine of Siena, whose family home is nearby.
The Palio is a traditional medieval horse race that takes place on the 2nd of July and the 16th of August; it is run around the Piazza del Campo. It draws large crowds and is even televised; it is a bare-back event and can be dangerous for both horse and rider. There is a lot of history behind this event and it is much more than a tourist attraction.
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