Piazza del Campo in Siena
Piazza del Campo - Siena - Built at the confluence of the three hills on which Siena is situated, Piazza del Campo represents the heart of the city of the Palio. The square has a peculiar shell shape and is paved in red bricks. Lines of travertine radiating from the Palazzo Pubblico divide the square into nine sectors, which are held to be symbolic of the Council of Nine that governed Siena between 1287-1355.
Piazza del Campo
The
Palazzo Pubblico stands in the lower part of the square. It was built in bricks between the 13th and 14th centuries and at present houses Siena town hall and the
Museo Civico. Two series of triple-lancet windows decorate the façade, whereas the interior is rich in frescoes by the painters of the Sienese school, such as Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini.
On the first floor there is the Museo Civico, with some of the most prestigious Tuscan art collections. Particularly interesting are the
Maestà and the
Guidoriccio da Fogliano by Simone Martini, located in the Great Council Hall (Sala del Mappamondo).
The adjoining
Torre del Mangia was build around 1340.
The famous
Fonte Gaia (Fountain of Joy) is situated in the upper part of Piazza del Campo. The fountain is decorated with copies of bas-reliefs by Jacopo della Quercia. The original reliefs can be admired in the Palazzo Pubblico.
