Piazza del Campo, A Medieval Square Radiating Timeless Charm

Piazza del Campo, 53031 Siena

There are restaurants or small food shops all around

4.6

Introduction

Piazza del Campo (also known as Shell Square), located in the center of Siena, is one of the largest medieval squares still in existence in Europe. Across from the square is the Town Hall and Tower, which houses the Civic Museum showcasing many paintings from the Sienese school, including "Allegory of Good Government" and "Allegory of Bad Government" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. The Mangia Tower is the tallest building in Siena and the second tallest tower in Italy. Visitors can climb the 55 flights of stairs to enjoy the magnificent view of Siena. The square is surrounded by many cafes, souvenir shops, restaurants, and noble residences. On one side of the square, the famous Fonte Gaia fountain, built in the 14th century, is one of the prototypes of modern fountains and one of the earliest fountains to use a hydraulic system. The fountain's relief depicts religious scenes. The Piazza del Campo also hosts the famous Palio di Siena, an ancient horse race dating back to the Middle Ages, which is a festival of the 17 districts in the entire Siena area, as well as a grand costume parade and juggling performances. Although the entertainment value of the race nowadays far outweighs the athletic value, the tension of the competition is no less than that of the Olympics!

Address

Piazza del Campo, 53031 Siena

Opening hours

October 16 to the end of February the following year, 10:00-16:00
March 1 to October 15, 10:00-19:00. The ticket sales will stop 45 minutes before closing time every day, and the attraction is open all year round without any breaks.

Transportation

It is possible to walk there, which takes about half an hour. Alternatively, you can take bus No.8, 9 or 10 at the Piazza Gramsci stop across from the train station and get off there, then walk to your destination.

Website http://www.ilpalio.org/