Siena › Places and landmarks
Places and landmarks in Siena
13 landmarks of Siena, and the streets, squares and waterways around them, each with its story and where to find it.
Photo: Mr.Ajedrez, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Landmarks
Piazza del CampoThe shell-shaped square at the heart of Siena, paved in red brick and sloping down to the town hall, where the Palio is run.
Palazzo PubblicoSiena’s Gothic town hall of brick and stone at the foot of the Campo, with the most famous frescoes of good and bad government.
Torre del MangiaThe slender brick tower of the town hall, 88 metres tall, with the stone crown of its bell chamber over the Campo.
Fonte GaiaThe marble fountain at the top of the Campo, where the water of Siena’s underground aqueducts first reached the square.
Duomo di SienaThe cathedral on the highest hill of the town, striped in white and dark green marble, with a floor of inlaid marble pictures.
FacciatoneThe bare front of the vast new cathedral that Siena began in 1339 and gave up after the Black Death.
Santa Maria della ScalaOne of the oldest hospitals of Europe, opposite the cathedral, which looked after pilgrims and foundlings for nearly a thousand years.
Loggia della MercanziaThe 15th-century loggia of the merchants’ court, at the crossing where Siena’s three main streets meet above the Campo.
Piazza SalimbeniThe small square of the palaces of the Monte dei Paschi, the oldest bank in the world still in business.
San DomenicoThe great brick church of the Dominicans on its own hill, where Saint Catherine of Siena prayed, and where her head is kept.
Fortezza MediceaThe fortress that Florence built after it took Siena in 1555, now a park on its walls above the town.
Also part of Siena
Streets, squares and waterways
The places that hold the centre of Siena together. Point at one to find it on the map.
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1
Piazza del Campo Il Campo square
The shell-shaped square of red brick at the heart of the town, where the Palio is run.
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2
Palazzo Pubblico building
The Gothic town hall at the foot of the Campo, with the Museo Civico upstairs.
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3
Torre del Mangia building
The town hall’s brick tower, 88 metres tall, with 400 or so steps to the top.
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4
Fonte Gaia building
The marble fountain at the top of the Campo, fed by the bottini.
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5
Loggia della Mercanzia building
The merchants’ loggia where the three main streets meet.
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6
Banchi di Sopra street
The main street from the Campo to Piazza Salimbeni, full of shops and pastry shops.
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7
Via di Città street
The street of palaces along the ridge from the Loggia della Mercanzia towards the cathedral.
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8
Piazza Salimbeni square
The square of the Monte dei Paschi’s palaces.
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9
Duomo di Siena Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta building
The striped marble cathedral on the highest hill.
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10
Facciatone building
The bare front of the unfinished new cathedral, with the Museo dell’Opera.
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11
Santa Maria della Scala building
The old pilgrims’ hospital opposite the cathedral, now a museum.
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12
San Domenico building
The great brick church of Saint Catherine, on its own hill.
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13
Fontebranda building
The arched medieval fountain in the valley below San Domenico.
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14
Fortezza Medicea park
The Medici fortress, now a park on its walls.