Citizendia
Your Ad Here

For the Catholic Liberal Arts College in New York, see Siena College. Siena College is an independent Catholic Liberal Arts College situated on US 9 in the suburban community of Loudonville New York For the economy car, see Fiat Siena. The Fiat Siena is the four-door sedan version of the Fiat Palio, a Low cost Subcompact car / supermini especially designed for
Comune di Siena
Coat of arms of Comune di Siena
Municipal coat of arms

Location of Siena in Italy
Country Flag of Italy Italy
Region Tuscany
Province Siena (SI)
Mayor Maurizio Cenni (since May 13, 2005)
Elevation 322 m (1,056 ft)
Area 118 km² (46 sq mi)
Population (as of 31-08-07)
 - Total 53,893
 - Density 457/km² (1,184/sq mi)
Time zone CET, UTC+1
Coordinates 43°20′0″N, 11°20′0″E
Gentilic Senesi
Dialing code 0577
Postal code 53100, 53010
Frazioni Costalpino, Isola d'Arbia, Taverne d'Arbia, San Miniato, Vignano, Ruffolo
Patron St. Ansanus
 - Day December 1
Website: http://www.comune.siena.it/
Historic Centre of Siena*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Siena's Duomo.
Siena's Duomo. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune The Province of Siena (Provincia di Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Here are a list of area codes in Italy. All numbers here begin with the country code (0039 A frazione, in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a Comune; for other Administrative Saint Ansanus ( Italian: Sant'Ansano) (died 304 AD called The Baptizer or The Apostle of Siena, is the Patron saint of Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex
State Party Flag of Italy Italy
Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iv
Reference 717
Region† Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1995  (19th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

Siena (traditionally Sienna in English) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest It is the capital of the province of Siena. The Province of Siena (Provincia di Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy.

The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

Contents

History

Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy 900 BC to 400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill-forts. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Then, at the time of the Emperor Augustus, a Roman town called Saena Julia was founded in the site. Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The first document mentioning it dates from 70 AD. Year 70 was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Some archaeologists assert it was controlled for a period by a Gaulish tribe called the Saenones. The Senones were a Gallic people of Gallia Celtica, who in the time of Julius Caesar inhabited the district which now includes the departments of

The Roman origin accounts for the town's emblem – a she-wolf suckling the infants Romulus and Remus. Romulus (c 771 BC– c 717 BC and Remus (c 771 BC–c 753 BC are the traditional founders of Rome, appearing in Roman mythology According to legend, Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, who was in turn the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. Senius was the son of Remus and legendary founder of Siena, Italy. Romulus (c 771 BC– c 717 BC and Remus (c 771 BC–c 753 BC are the traditional founders of Rome, appearing in Roman mythology Romulus (c 771 BC– c 717 BC and Remus (c 771 BC–c 753 BC are the traditional founders of Rome, appearing in Roman mythology Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Statues and other artwork depicting a she-wolf suckling the young twins Romulus and Remus can be seen all over the city of Siena. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name "Saina", the Roman family name of the "Saenii", or the Latin word "senex" ("old") or the derived form "seneo", "to be old".

Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major roads and therefore missed out on the resulting opportunities for trade. Its insular status meant that Christianity did not penetrate until the fourth century AD, and it was not until the Lombards invaded Siena and the surrounding territory that it knew prosperity. The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from Their occupation and the fact that the old Roman roads of Aurelia and the Cassia passed through areas exposed to Byzantine raids, caused the roads between the Lombards' northern possessions and Rome to be re-routed through Siena. The inevitable consequence of this was that Siena prospered as a trading post, and the constant streams of pilgrims passing to and from Rome were to prove a valuable source of income in the centuries to come.

The oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards' surrender in 774 to Charlemagne. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his At this point the city was inundated with a swarm of Frankish overseers who married into the existing Sienese nobility, and left a legacy that can be seen in the abbeys they founded throughout Sienese territory. Feudal power waned however, and by the death of Countess Matilda in 1115 the Mark of Tuscia which had been under the control of her family – the Canossa – broke up into several autonomous regions. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Matilda of Canossa ( Italian: Matilde, Latin: Mathilde; 1046 &ndash 24 July 1115) called la Gran Contessa Mark from the Old English mearc and march (or various plural forms of these words derived from the Frankish word marka ("boundary"

Siena prospered under the new arrangements, becoming a major centre of money lending and an important player in the wool trade. It was governed at first directly by its Bishop, but episcopal power declined during the 1100s. The bishop was forced to concede a greater say in the running of the city to the nobility in exchange for their help during a territorial dispute with Arezzo, and this started a process which culminated in 1167 when the commune of Siena declared its independence from episcopal control. Arezzo ( Latin Arretium) is a city in central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in By 1179, it had a written constitution.

This period was also crucial in shaping the Siena we know today. It was during the 1100s that the majority of the construction of the Duomo, Siena's cathedral, was completed. It was also during this period that the Piazza del Campo, now regarded as one of the most beautiful civic spaces in Europe, grew in importance as the centre of secular life. Piazza del Campo is the principal public space of Siena, Tuscany, Italy and is one of Europe's greatest medieval squares New streets were constructed leading to it and it served as the site of the market, and the location of various sporting events (perhaps better thought of as riots, in the fashion of the Florentine football matches that are still practised to this day). A wall was constructed in 1194 at the current site of the Palazzo Pubblico to stop soil erosion, an indication of how important the area was becoming as a civic space. The Palazzo Pubblico ( town hall) is a palace in the city of Siena, located in the Tuscany region of Italy.

Medieval coin from Siena (12th century).
Medieval coin from Siena (12th century).

In the early 12th century a self-governing commune replaced the earlier aristocratic government. Communes in Europe in the Middle Ages were sworn allegiances of mutual defense (both physical defense and of traditional freedoms among community members of a town or city The consuls who governed the republic slowly became more inclusive of the poblani, or common people, and the Commune increased its territory as the surrounding feudal nobles in their fortified castles submitted to the urban power. Siena's republic, struggling internally between nobles and the popular party, usually worked in political opposition to its great rival, Florence, and was in the 13th century predominantly Ghibelline in opposition to Florence's Guelph position (this conflict formed the backdrop for some of Dante's Commedia). A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting respectively the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting respectively the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy The Divine Comedy


On September 4, 1260 the Sienese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of King Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine Guelphs in the Battle of Montaperti. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting respectively the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy Manfred ( Venosa, 1232 &ndash Benevento February 26, 1266) was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266 The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting respectively the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire in central and northern Italy The Battle of Montaperti was fought on September 4, 1260, between Florence and Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between Before the battle, the Sienese army of around 20,000 faced a much larger Florentine army of around 33,000. Prior to the battle, the entire city was dedicated to the Virgin Mary (this was done several times in the city's history, most recently in 1944 to guard the city from Allied bombs). The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. The man given command of Siena for the duration of the war, Bonaguida Lucari, walked barefoot and bareheaded, a halter around his neck, to the Duomo. Leading a procession composed of all the city's residents, he was met by all the clergy. Lucari and the Bishop embraced, to show the unity of church and state, then Luceri formally gave the city and contrade to the Virgin. A contrada (plural contrade) is a district or a ward within an Italian city Legend has it that a thick white cloud descended on the battlefield, giving the Sienese cover and aiding their attack. The reality was that the Florentine army launched several fruitless attacks against the Sienese army during the day, then when the Sienese army countered with their own offensive, traitors within the Florentine army killed the standard bearer and in the resulting chaos, the Florentine army broke up and fled the battlefield. Almost half the Florentine army (some 15,000 men) were killed as a result. So crushing was the defeat that even today if the two cities meet in any sporting event, the Sienese supporters are likely to exhort their Florentine counterparts to “Remember Montaperti!”.

Siena's university, founded in 1203 and famed for its faculties of law and medicine, is still among the most important Italian universities. The University of Siena ( Italian: Università degli Studi di Siena, abbreviation UNISI in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first Siena rivalled Florence in the arts through the 13th and 14th centuries: the important late medieval painter Duccio di Buoninsegna (1253–1319) was a Sienese, but worked across the peninsula, and the mural of "Good Government" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Palazzo Pubblico, or town hall, is a magnificent example of late-Medieval/early Renaissance art as well as a representation of the utopia of urban society as conceived during that period. Duccio di Buoninsegna (c 1255-1260 &ndash c 1318-1319 was one of the most influential Italian artists of his time Ambrogio Lorenzetti (or Ambruogio Laurati; c 1290 &ndash June 9, 1348) was an Italian painter of the Sienese school. The Palazzo Pubblico ( town hall) is a palace in the city of Siena, located in the Tuscany region of Italy. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Siena was devastated by the Black Death of 1348, and also suffered from ill-fated financial enterprises. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia In 1355, with the arrival of Charles IV of Luxembourg in the city, the population rose and suppressed the government of the Nove (Nine), establishing that Dodici (Twelve) nobles assisted by a council with a popular majority. Charles IV ( Czech: Karel IV, German: Karl IV, Hungarian: IV Károly; 14 May 1316 &ndash The Noveschi or the IX were a mercantile - banking Oligarchy that ruled the Italian City-state of Siena from This was also short-lived, being replaced by the Quindici (Fifteen) reformers in 1385, the Dieci (Ten, 1386-1387), Undici (Eleven, 1388-1398) and Twelve Priors (1398-1399) who, in the end, gave the city's seigniory to Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan in order to defend it from the Florentine expansionism. Gian Galeazzo Visconti (November 1351 – September 3, 1402) son of Galeazzo II Visconti and Bianca di Savoia, was the first Duke of Milan Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy.

In 1404 the Visconti were expelled and a government of Ten Priors established, in alliance with Florence against King Ladislas of Naples. Ladislas the Magnanimous (also spelled Ladislaus; July 14, 1376 / February 11, 1377 &ndash August 6 With the election of the Sienese Pius II as Pope, the Piccolomini and other noble families were allowed to return to the government, but after his death the control returned into popular hands. Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini ( Latin Aeneas Sylvius; October 18, 1405 &ndash August 14, 1464) In 1472 the Republic founded the Monte dei Paschi, a bank that is still active today and is the oldest surviving bank in the world. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SPA (MPS is the oldest surviving Bank in the world The noble factions returned in the city under Pandolfo Petrucci in 1487, with the support of Florence and of Alfonso of Calabria; Petrucci exerted an effective rule on the city until his death in 1512, favouring arts and sciences, and defending it from Cesare Borgia. Pandolfo Petrucci (* Siena, February 14 1452 &ndash San Quirico d’Orcia, Italy, May 21, 1512) was a Alfonso II of Naples ( November 4, 1448 &ndash December 18, 1495) also called Alfonso II d'Aragon, though he was King of Naples ( September 13, 1475 &ndash March 12, 1507) Duke of Valentinois, and Romagna, Prince of Andria and Venafro Pandolfo was succeeded by his son Borghese, who was ousted by his cousin Raffaello, helped by the Medici Pope Leo X. Pope Leo X, born Giovanni de' Medici (December 11 1475 – December 1 1521 was Pope from 1513 to his death The last Petrucci was Fabio, exiled in 1523 by the Sienese people. Internal strife resumed, with the popular faction ousting the Noveschi party supported by Clement VII: the latter sent an army, but was defeated at Camollia in 1526. For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September Emperor Charles V took advantage of the chaotic situation to put a Spanish garrison in Siena. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was This citizen expelled it in 1552, allying with France: this was unacceptable for Charles, who sent his general Gian Giacomo Medici to lay siege to it with a Florentine-Imperial army. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Gian Giacomo Medici (c 1495 &ndash 8 November 1555) was an Italian Condottiero, Duke of Marignano and Marquess of Musso

The Sienese government entrusted its defence to Piero Strozzi. Piero (or Pietro Strozzi (c 1510 - 21 June 1558) was an Italian military leader When the latter was defeated at the Battle of Marciano (August 1554), any hope of relief was lost. The Battle of Marciano (also known as the Battle of Scannagallo) occurred in the countryside of Marciano della Chiana, near Arezzo, Tuscany After 18 months of resistance, it surrendered to Florence on April 17, 1555, marking the end of the Republic of Siena. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Siena. The new Spanish King Philip, owing huge sums to the Medici, ceded it (apart a series of coastal fortress annexed to the State of Presidi) to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to which it belonged until the unification of Italy in the 19th century. Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 The Stato dei Presidi (loosely in English "The State of the Garrisons" was a client state of the Kingdom of Spain situated in central Italy which included the cities The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (Granducato di Toscana Magnus Ducatus Tusciae was a state in central Italy that existed from 1569 to 1859 replacing the Duchy of Florence Italian Unification ( Italian: il Risorgimento, or "The Resurgence" was the political and social movement that unified different states of the Italian A Republic government of 700 Sienese families in Montalcino resisted until 1559. Montalcino is a hilltown and Comune in Tuscany, Italy. It is famous for its Brunello di Montalcino Wine.

The picturesque city remains an important cultural centre, especially for humanist disciplines.

Siena's Duomo
Siena's Duomo
The Piazza Del Campo.
The Piazza Del Campo.
Il Campo from Torre del Mangia.
Il Campo from Torre del Mangia.
Façade of the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) during the Palio days.
Façade of the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) during the Palio days. The Palazzo Pubblico ( town hall) is a palace in the city of Siena, located in the Tuscany region of Italy. The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) the most famous Palio in Italy is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and
Palazzo Salimbeni.
Palazzo Salimbeni.
Church of San Domenico.
Church of San Domenico.

Main sights

Siena's cathedral, the Duomo, begun in the twelfth century, is one of the great examples of Italian romanesque architecture. The Medieval Cathedral of Siena ( Italian: Duomo di Siena) dedicated from its earliest days as a Roman Catholic Marian church and Duomo is a generic Italian term for a Cathedral church The formal word for a church that is presently a cathedral is cattedrale; a Regional characteristics of Romanesque architecture|Romanesque art Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which Its main façade was completed in 1380. It is unusual for a Christian cathedral in that its axis runs north-south. This is because it was originally intended to be the largest cathedral in existence, with a north-south transept and an east-west aisle, as is usual. After the completion of the transept and the building of the east wall (which still exists and may be climbed by the public via an internal staircase) the money ran out and the rest of the cathedral was abandoned.

Inside is the famous Gothic octagonal pulpit by Nicola Pisano (1266–1268) supported on lions, and the labyrinth inlaid in the flooring, traversed by penitents on their knees. Nicola Pisano (also called Niccolò Pisano Nicola de Apulia or Nicola Pisanus c In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth ( Greek λαβύρινθος labyrinthos) was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Within the Sacristy are some perfectly preserved renaissance frescos by Ghirlandaio, and beneath the Duomo in the baptistry is the marvelous baptismal font with bas-reliefs by Donatello, Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia and other 15th century sculptors. Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449 &ndash January 11, 1494) was a renowned Florentine Renaissance painter a contemporary of Botticelli Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian Lorenzo Ghiberti (born Lorenzo di Bartolo) (1378 &ndash December 1, 1455) was an Italian artist of the early Renaissance best known Jacopo della Quercia (c 1374 &ndash October 20, 1438) was an Italian sculptor of the Italian Renaissance a contemporary of Brunelleschi, The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo contains Duccio's famous Maestà (1308–1311) and various other works by Sienese masters. More Sienese paintings are to be found in the Pinacoteca.

The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town square, which houses the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, is another architectural treasure, and is famous for hosting the Palio horse race. Piazza del Campo is the principal public space of Siena, Tuscany, Italy and is one of Europe's greatest medieval squares The Palazzo Pubblico ( town hall) is a palace in the city of Siena, located in the Tuscany region of Italy. The Torre del Mangia is a Tower in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. The Palazzo Pubblico, itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art museum. Included within the museum is Ambrogio Lorenzetti's series of frescos on the good government and the results of good and bad government and also some of the finest frescoes of Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti. Ambrogio Lorenzetti (or Ambruogio Laurati; c 1290 &ndash June 9, 1348) was an Italian painter of the Sienese school. Simone Martini (c 1284 – c 1344 was an Italian painter born in Siena. Pietro Lorenzetti (or Pietro Laurati; c 1280 - 1348 was an Italian painter active between approximately 1306 and 1345

On the Piazza Salimbeni is the Palazzo Salimbeni, a notable building and also the medieval headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks in continuous existence and a major player in the Sienese economy. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SPA (MPS is the oldest surviving Bank in the world

Housed in the notable Gothic Palazzo Chigi on Via di Città is the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena's conservatory of music. This article is about Gothic art See also Gothic architecture Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that lasted about 200 The Accademia Musicale Chigiana ( English: Chigiana Musical Academy is a music institute in Siena, Italy. A university school of music or college of music, or academy of music or conservatoire ( French, but used in British English) &mdash

Other churches in the city include:

The city's gardens include the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena, a botanical garden maintained by the University of Siena. The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena (25 hectares is a Botanical garden operated by the University of Siena. Botanical gardens grow a wide variety of Plants primarily to categorize and document for scientific purposes The University of Siena ( Italian: Università degli Studi di Siena, abbreviation UNISI in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first

The Medicean Fortress houses the Enoteca Italiana and the Siena Jazz School, with courses and concerts all the year long and a major festival during the International Siena Jazz Masterclasses. Over two weeks more than 30 concerts and jam sessions are held in the two major town squares, on the terrace in front of the Enoteca, in the gardens of the Contrade clubs, and in numerous historical towns and villages of the Siena province. Siena is also home of Sessione Senese per la Musica e l'Arte (SSMA), a summer music program for musicians, is a fun/learning musical summer experience.

In the neighbourhood are numerous patrician villa, numerous of which attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi:

Sports

Siena has enjoyed a long tradition in sports. Baldassare Tommaso Peruzzi ( 7 March, 1481 &mdash 6 January, 1537) was an Italian Architect and painter, born in a small Villa Cetinale is a 17th century villa in Tuscany, Italy, located about in the hamlet of Cetinale near Sovicille and about 12 km west of Basketball and football are perhaps the most popular in Siena. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered However, other sports such as rugby union and track-and-field are also widely practised. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short

Professional sports

The 'Calcio' (soccer) Association of Siena was founded in 1904 and fully established in 1908. It has participated in the National Championship of Soccer in Seria "A" (The highest level of the Italian soccer leagues) since the 2003-2004 season. The soccer club A.C. Siena hosts its games at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Associazione Calcio Siena is a football club based in Siena, Italy. Stadio Artemio Franchi is a multi-use Stadium in Siena, Italy.

The premiere society of men's basketball in Siena is called Mens Sana Basket (also referred to by its sponsored name of Montepaschi Siena). Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional Basketball club from Siena. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SPA (MPS is the oldest surviving Bank in the world It is also the oldest sports society in Siena. Mens Sana Basket participates in the highest level of play in Italy, Lega Basket Serie A, and it won the national championship in the 2003-04 and 2006-07 seasons. In Italian professional Basketball, the Serie A or Lega A Basket is the highest level club competition where play determines the national champion The team host their home games at Palasport Mens Sana indoor arena. Palasport Mens Sana is an indoor sporting arena located in Via Sclavo Siena, Italy.

Amateur sports

As with most of Italy, football is very popular, and numerous amateur football teams have been formed. Tournaments for amateur football leagues are carried out during the winter. Contrary to the rest of Italy, Siena is home to several amateur basketball teams. These teams exist to "seed" the professional teams. In addition to Mens Sana Basket, other teams (amateur) exist including "l'Associazione Sportiva Costone Basket" and "La Virtus Siena".

There exist several female University sports teams organized under the CUS (Centro Universitario Sportivo. ) These include such sports as fencing, volleyball and rugby. Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet

The Palio

Main article: Palio di Siena

July 2 and August 16 are the dates when the Palio di Siena is held. The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) the most famous Palio in Italy is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) the most famous Palio in Italy is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and The Palio is a traditional medieval horse race is run around the Piazza del Campo each year. This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics. This event is attended by large crowds, and is widely televised. Seventeen Contrade (which are city neighbourhoods originally formed as battalions for the city's defence) vie for the trophy: a painted flag, or Palio bearing an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Contrada (plural contrade) is a generic name given to various types of Italian city subdivisions now unofficial A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary Ten of the seventeen run in each Palio: seven run by right (having not run in the previous year's corresponding Palio) together with three drawn by lot from the remaining ten. A horse is assigned to each by lot. Though often a brutal and dangerous competition for horse and rider alike, the city thrives on the pride this competition brings. This event is not without its controversy however, and recently, there have been complaints about the treatment of the horses and to the danger run by the riders. In order to better protect the horses, steps have been taken to make veterinary care more easily available during the main race.

Transport

The nearest international airports to Siena are Peretola Airport in Florence and Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa. Peretola Airport, Florence Airport ( Aeroporto di Firenze) or Amerigo Vespucci Airport is an airport located close to Florence, Italy Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Galileo Galilei International Airport is an Airport located in Pisa, Italy. Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea.

Siena can be reached by train from both Pisa and Florence, changing at Empoli. Empoli is a town in Tuscany, Italy, about 30 km southwest of Florence. Siena's train station is located at the bottom of a long hill outside the city walls, and travellers with luggage should look for a taxi or bus (from the stop opposite the station).

Buses leave from Piazza Gramsci, located within the city walls. Buses are available directly to and from Florence, a one hour trip, as well as from Rome (three hours), Milan (four and a half hours), and from various other towns in Tuscany and beyond.

By road, Siena is linked to Florence by a "superstrada" (the Raccordo Autostradale RA03 - Siena-Firenze), a form of toll free autostrada, albeit with narrower lanes, with a less well maintained surface and sharper bends. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Autostrada (plural Autostrade) is the Italian word for Motorways Freeways but is also used in several countries including Romania The superstrada to Florence is indicated on some road signs with the letters SI-FI, recalling the pre-1994 license-plate designations. Present Italian car number plates have black characters on a rectangular white background with small blue side-fields on the right and left (see European vehicle registration A continuation of the same four lane road to the south east is under construction and will when completed facilitate the drive towards Perugia and Rome. Perugia is the capital City of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river and the capital of the Province of Perugia Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 However, drivers should be aware that almost no traffic is permitted within the city centre. Several large carparks are located immediately outside the city walls. The "La Fortezza" car park is closest to the centre, and is free of charge. Commercial traffic is permitted within the city only during the morning hours, while in the afternoon pedestrians dominate.

Sister cities

Siena has 4 sister cities:

References

External links


Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

Dictionary

Siena

-proper noun

  1. A province of Tuscany, Italy.
  2. The capital city of Siena.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic