Ray, Marianne, Ron and I went on an all day tour called the Best of
Tuscany. The first stop was the Siena, one of several Tuscan Hill towns.
The historic center of Siena has been declared by UNESCO at World
Heritage Site.
The exterior of the cathedral is impressive. Built between 1215 and 1263 on the site of an earlier
structure, the cathedral is in the form of a Latin cross with a slight
projecting dome and bell tower. The exterior and interiors are decorated
in white and greenish-black marble in alternating stripes
, black and white being the symbolic colors of Siena.
The most impressive and beautiful of the treasures the cathedral
holds are on the floor, where the pavement is decorated with the art of
mosaics (using various techniques) to create storytelling masterpieces. The 56 etched and inlaid marble panels were designed by 40 of leading artists between 1369 and 1547, all from Siena
Piazza del Campo is the principal public space of the historic center of
Siena
and is regarded as one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. It is
renowned worldwide for its beauty and architectural integrity.
We had time for a stop at a cafe on the Piazza del Campo for some gelato and coffee.
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