Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

, in central Italy, and the capital of the

province of Siena The province of Siena (, ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena. It has 259,826 inhabitants. Geography The province is divided into seven historical areas: * Alta Val d'Elsa * Chian ...

. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 as of 2025. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking centre until the 13th and 14th centuries. Siena is also home to the oldest bank in the world, the Monte dei Paschi, which has been operating continuously since . Several significant Mediaeval and Renaissance painters were born and worked in Siena, among them Duccio di Buoninsegna, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and

Sassetta ''For the village near Livorno, see Sassetta, Tuscany'' Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (–1450) was a List of Italian painters, Tuscan painter of the Italian Renaissance painting, Renaissance, and a significant figure of th ...

, and influenced the course of Italian and European art. The University of Siena, originally called ''Studium Senese'', was founded in 1240, making it one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world. Siena was an important city in

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Europe, and its historic centre is a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, which contains several buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries. The city is famous for its

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, List of cooking techniques, techniques and Dish (food), dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, ...

, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year in

Piazza del Campo Piazza del Campo is the main piazza, public space of the historic center of Siena, a city in Tuscany, Italy, Its name comes from the Italian language, Italian word ''campanilismo,'' which translates to "local pride" and ''campanile'' "bell tower." ...

History

Antiquity

Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...

(c. 900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. A Roman town called ''Saena Iulia'' was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

. According to local legend, Siena was founded by Senius and Aschius, two sons of Remus and thus nephews of

Romulus Romulus (, ) was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of th ...

, after whom Rome was named. Supposedly after their father's murder by Romulus, they fled Rome, taking with them the statue of the she-wolf suckling the infants ( Capitoline Wolf), thus appropriating that symbol for the town. Additionally they rode white and black horses, giving rise to the ''Balzana'', or coat of arms of Siena with a white band atop a dark band. Some claim the name Siena derives from Senius. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name ''Saina'', the Roman family name ''Saenii'', or the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

word ''senex'' "old" or its derived form ''seneo'' "to be old". The first known document of the Sienese community dates back to 70 AD: the

Roman Senator The Roman Senate () was the highest and Roman constitution, constituting assembly of ancient Rome and its aristocracy. With different powers throughout its existence it lasted from the first days of the Rome, city of Rome (traditionally founded ...

Manlio Patruito reported to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

that he had been ridiculed with a fake funeral during his official visit to Saena Iulia, a small military colony in Tuscia. The Roman Senate decided to punish the main culprits and to severely call the Sienese to greater respect for Roman authority. At the end of the third century the city was Christianised by Sant'Ansano, known as the "Baptist of the Sienese", who was punished by the Roman authorities governing Siena with the test of fire and boiling oil, imprisonment and finally beheading. During the Middle Ages he was therefore named patron saint of Siena, and the day of his liturgical anniversary came to mark the beginning of the "Contrada Year".

Middle Ages

Feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

power waned, however, and by the death of Countess Matilda in 1115 the border territory of the March of Tuscany which had been under the control of her family, the Canossa, broke up into several autonomous regions. This ultimately resulted in the creation of the

Republic of Siena The Republic of Siena (, ) was a historic state consisting of the city of Siena and its surrounding territory in Tuscany, Central Italy. It existed for over 400 years, from 1125 to 1555. During its existence, it gradually expanded throughout south ...

. The Republic of Siena, established in the 12th century, was a vibrant and influential city-state during the medieval and Renaissance periods. Founded on principles of commerce and governance, Siena quickly became a significant player in the region's political landscape. Siena's economy thrived primarily through its wool industry, which was renowned throughout Europe. The city's strategic location along major trade routes further bolstered its prosperity, allowing Siena to establish trade networks that extended across Europe. This economic success was supported by a well-developed banking system and a strong guild structure that regulated various trades and professions. Politically, the Republic of Siena was governed by a complex system of councils and magistrates, dominated by powerful noble families who competed for influence and control. The city's political structure evolved over time, with periodic reforms aimed at balancing power and maintaining stability. However, internal rivalries often led to factionalism and occasional civil unrest, one of the main challenges faced by many Italian city-states of that period. Culturally, Siena flourished during the

late Middle Ages The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...

and

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, producing notable artists such as Duccio di Buoninsegna and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. These artists, along with architects and scholars, contributed to the city's rich artistic and intellectual heritage. Siena's distinctive Gothic architecture, exemplified by the iconic Duomo di Siena and the

Palazzo Pubblico The Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) is a historic palace in Siena, Tuscany, in central Italy. Located on the Piazza del Campo, it is one of the principal architectural landmarks of the city's historic center. Construction began in 1297 to serve ...

, remains a testament to its cultural achievements during this period. In the 1330s Lorenzetti painted the fresco ''The City at Peace'' in the local government chamber Sala dei Nove, placing human activities in the foreground while buildings frame and protect the city of Siena. During the golden age of Siena before the

Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...

in 1348, the city was home to 50,000 people. Despite its cultural and economic prowess, the Republic faced external threats and conflicts, particularly from its rival

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

. The rivalry between Siena and Florence intensified throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, culminating in a series of wars known as the

Italian Wars The Italian Wars were a series of conflicts fought between 1494 and 1559, mostly in the Italian Peninsula, but later expanding into Flanders, the Rhineland and Mediterranean Sea. The primary belligerents were the House of Valois, Valois kings o ...

. These conflicts ultimately weakened Siena's political and economic position. From 1547 to 1552, the Spanish-installed governor of Siena was Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, until he was ousted by a Sienese revolt, which re-established the Sienese Republic. In the Italian War of 1551–1559, the republic was defeated by the rival

in alliance with the Spanish crown. After 18 months of resistance, Siena surrendered to Spain on 17 April 1555, marking the end of the republic.

Medicean period

After the fall of the Republic, a few Sienese led by the Florentine exile Piero Strozzi, not wanting to accept the fall of the Republic, took refuge in Montalcino, creating the Republic of Siena sheltered in Montalcino. It survived until 31 May 1559 when it was betrayed by the French allies, whom Siena had always supported, concluding with the Peace of Cateau Cambrésis with Charles V, which effectively ceded the Republic to the Medici. The

House of Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...

, apart from the brief parenthesis of Ferdinando I, who tried to create an organised state, were not able to give a stable structure to the

Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...

, keeping almost unchanged the division between the so-called Old State, i.e. Florence, and the New State, i.e. Siena and the southern part up to Pitigliano, with different laws and taxes. With the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici, (1737), who had no children, the Medici dynasty ended and the Grand Duchy passed into the hands of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty who kept it until 1799.

Late modern period

After the

Napoleonic period The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

and the Risorgimento uprisings, Siena was the first city in Tuscany, in 1859, to vote in favor of annexation to the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

. In 1966, Siena became the first European city to ban cars from its main square.

Geography

Siena is located in the central part of

, in the middle of a vast hilly landscape between the Arbia river valley (south), the Merse valley (south-west), the Elsa valley (north), the Chianti hills (north-east), the Montagnola Senese (west) and the Crete Senesi (south-east). The city lies at above sea level.

Climate

Siena has a typical inland Mediterranean climate. Average rainfall is , with the maximum in November and the minimum in July. August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of , and January the coldest, with an average temperature of . The hottest temperature ever recorded was in August 2017. On average, 10 days per year exceed .

Economy

The main activities are tourism, services, agriculture, handicrafts and light industry. In 2009 agricultural activity comprised 919 companies with a total area of for a usable agricultural area of or about of the total municipal area (data ISTAT for the 2000 Agriculture Census ''V''). There is little manufacturing in the city. One exception is the seasonal

confectionery Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two bro ...

industry, which produces local specialities including panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci at Christmas, and pane co' santi for I Santi on 1 November and I Morti on the following day. The area has also seen a growth in

biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...

. The Centenary Institute Sieroterapico Achille Sclavo used to be Swiss-owned, operating under the company name,

Novartis Novartis AG is a Swiss multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical company, pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and was the eighth largest by re ...

Vaccines. Novartis developed and produced vaccines and employed about a thousand people. In 2015, the research plant in Siena became part of Glaxo Smith Kline, as part of a deal between

and this firm.

Government

Culture

Contrade

Siena retains a ward-centric culture from medieval times. Each ward (''contrada'') is represented by an animal or mascot and has its own boundary and distinct identity. Ward rivalries are most rampant during the annual horse race (Palio) in the Piazza del Campo. There are 17 wards (contrada): Aquila, Bruco, Chiocciola, Civetta, Drago, Giraffa, Istrice, Leocorno, Lupa, Nicchio, Oca, Onda, Pantera, Selva, Tartuca, Torre, Valdimontone.

The Palio

The Palio di Siena is a traditional medieval horse race run around the Piazza del Campo twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August. The event is attended by large crowds, and is widely televised. Ten randomly selected from 17 Contrade (which are city neighbourhoods originally formed as

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

s for the city's defence) vie for the trophy: a painted banner, or '' Palio'' bearing an image of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

Art

Institution-of-the-eucharist--Sassetta--Siena Pinacoteca

Over the centuries, Siena has had a rich tradition of arts and artists. The list of artists from the Sienese School include

Duccio Duccio di Buoninsegna ( , ; – ), commonly known as just Duccio, was an Italian painter active in Siena, Tuscany, in the late 13th and early 14th century. He was hired throughout his life to complete many important works in government and religi ...

and his student Simone Martini, the brothers

Pietro Lorenzetti Pietro Lorenzetti (; – 1348) or Pietro Laurati was an Italian painter, active between and 1345. Together with his younger brother Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Ambrogio, he introduced Realism (arts), naturalism into Sienese School, Sienese art. In the ...

and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Martino di Bartolomeo. A number of well-known works of

and

High Renaissance In art history, the High Renaissance was a short period of the most exceptional artistic production in the Italian states, particularly Rome, capital of the Papal States, and in Florence, during the Italian Renaissance. Most art historians stat ...

art still remain in galleries or churches in Siena. In 2024 and 2025, an exhibit titled '' Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350'', was held in the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

in New York and the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...

in London. The Church of ''San Domenico'' contains art by Guido da Siena, dating to the mid-13th century. Duccio's ''Maestà'', which was commissioned by the City of Siena in 1308, was instrumental in leading Italian painting away from the hieratic representations of

Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome, decline of western Rome and ...

and directing it towards more direct presentations of reality. And his ''Madonna and Child with Saints'' polyptych, painted between 1311 and 1318, remains at the city's ''Pinacoteca Nazionale''. The Pinacoteca also includes several works by Domenico Beccafumi, as well as art by Lorenzo Lotto, Domenico di Bartolo and

Fra Bartolomeo Fra Bartolomeo or Bartolommeo (, , ; 28 March 1472 – 31 October 1517), also known as Bartolommeo di Pagholo, Bartolommeo di San Marco, Bartolomeo di Paolo di Jacopo del Fattorino, and his original nickname Baccio della Porta, was an Ital ...

Main sights

The Siena Cathedral (''

Duomo ''Duomo'' (, ) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. The Duomo of Monza, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definitio ...

''), begun in the 12th century, is a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque–

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...

. Its main façade was completed in 1380 with a nave oriented northeast–southwest. A proposed expansion of the eastern transept would have transformed the church into an ambitiously massive basilica, the largest then in the world, with an east–west nave. However, the scarcity of funds, in part due to war and the Black Death, truncated the project. Two walls of this expanded eastern transept remain; through an internal staircase, visitors can climb for a grand view of the city. The Siena Cathedral Pulpit is an octagonal 13th-century masterpiece sculpted by

Nicola Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; /1225 – ) was an Italian sculpture, sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Ancient Rome, Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered ...

with lion pedestals and biblical bas-relief panels. The inlaid marble mosaic floor of the cathedral, designed and laboured on by many artists, is among the most elaborate in Italy. The Sacristy and Piccolomini library have well-preserved

frescos by Ghirlandaio and Pinturicchio respectively. Other sculptors active in the church and in the subterranean baptistry are

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), known mononymously as Donatello (; ), was an Italian Renaissance sculpture, Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sc ...

, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia and others. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo contains Duccio's famous '' Maestà'' (1308–11) and various other works by Sienese masters. More Sienese paintings are to be found in the Pinacoteca, e.g. 13th-century works by Dietisalvi di Speme. The

, the shell-shaped town square, unfurls before the

with its tall Torre del Mangia. This is part of the site for the ''Palio'' horse race. The Palazzo Pubblico, itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art museum. Included within the museum is Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes depicting the ''Allegory and Effects of Good and Bad Government'' and also some of the finest frescoes of Simone Martini and

. The Palazzo Salimbeni, located in a piazza of the same name, was the original headquarters and remains in possession of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks in continuous existence in Europe. Housed in the notable Gothic Palazzo Chigi-Saracini on Via di Città is the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena's conservatory of music. Other churches in the city include: * Basilica dell'Osservanza * San Domenico * San Francesco * San Giacinto * San Martino * Santa Maria dei Servi * Santa Petronilla * Santi Niccolo e Lucia * Santo Spirito * Santuccio Church * Sant'Andrea Apostolo * Sanctuary of ''Santa Caterina'', incorporating the old house of St. Catherine of Siena. It houses the miraculous ''Crucifix'' (late 12th century) from which the saint received her

stigmata Stigmata (, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion Five Holy Wounds, wounds of Jesus in Christian ...

, and a 15th-century statue of St. Catherine. The historic Siena synagogue is also preserved and open to visitors. The city's gardens include the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena, a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

maintained by the University of Siena. The Medicean Fortress houses the Siena Jazz School, with courses and concerts throughout the year, and a festival during the International Siena Jazz Masterclasses. In the neighbourhood are numerous patrician villas, some of which are attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi: * Villa Chigi * Castle of Belcaro * Villa Celsa * Villa Cetinale * Villa Volte Alte

Sports

Cycling

Siena hosts the start and finish of the Strade Bianche, a professional cycling race famous for its historic white gravel roads, called ''strade bianche'' or ''sterrati'' in Italian. More than of the race is run over dirt roads, usually country lanes and farm tracks twisting through the hills and vineyards of the Chianti region. The finish is on the

, after a steep and narrow climb on the roughly paved Via Santa Caterina leading into the center of the medieval city.

Transport

;Buses Siena Mobilità was a consortium established in 2005, formed by

Tiemme Toscana Mobilità Grosseto () is a city and a ''comune'' in the central Italy, Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the province of Grosseto and the main city of the Maremma region. The city lies from the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the centre of an alluvial plain o ...

, Busitalia Sita Nord e ByBus, to manage the local public transport in Siena, in its province and regional service to

and

Arezzo Arezzo ( , ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Italy and the capital of the Province of Arezzo, province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of Above mean sea level, above sea level. As of 2 ...

. From 1 January 2018 Siena Mobilità operated by virtue of the bridge contract between the Regione Toscana and the company ONE Scarl. Since 1 November 2021 the public local transport is operated by Autolinee Toscane.

Twin towns

Siena is twinned with: *

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

, France * Concord, North Carolina, US, since 2016 *

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...

, Germany, since 1994 *

Wetzlar Wetzlar () is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is the twelfth largest city in Hesse with currently 55,371 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019 (including second homes). As an important cultural, industrial and commercial center, the un ...

, Germany, since 1987

Gallery

File:Siena Palazzo-Pubblico-Duomo-JBU01.jpg, Siena, Campanile Palazzo Pubblico & Duomo File:Siena Palazzo-Pubblico-Campanile-JBU02.jpg, Siena, Campanile, Torre del Mangia (Palazzo Pubblico) File:Siena Duomo JBU03.jpg, Siena, Duomo File:Interior of the dome, Duomo, Siena, Italy.jpg, The interior of the dome in the Siena cathedral File:Interior of the dome, Siena Cathedral, Italy.jpg, Interior of the dome at the duomo, Siena File:Siena city center view from top of Torre del Mangia, Siena, Italy.jpg, Panorama of Siena File:Italy tuscany siena1.jpg, Piazza del Campo File:San Domenico church in Siena, Italy.jpg, Basilica of San Domenico File:201105 Toscane Sienne.jpg, View from the Campanile del Mangia

Notes

References

* * *

External links

* {{Authority control 1st-millennium BC establishments Capitals of former nations Cities and towns in Tuscany Populated places established in the 1st millennium BC Roman sites of Tuscany Tuscany World Heritage Sites in Italy