Piazza del Campo in Siena

Piazza del Campo in Siena is considered one of the most beautiful places of the world. It has a characteristic shell-shape divided in 9 slices, you can admire this particular form from the top of the tower del Mangia. From the 1300 this square it’s the centre of everyday life of Siena and it has the function of market place, of meeting point for all the city dwellers during important political moments or celebrations, for example twice a year in occasion of the well known palio. Today Piazza del Campo is the tourist place par excellence, the point you must see of the city, full of souvenirs markets (which doesn’t damage the beauty of the place). The slight slope makes the silhouette of the tower del mangia with the palazzo pubblico even more impressive while all the place is surrounded by beautiful and impressive nobility houses. The tourist rite in this place wants the people to sit or lie down on the ground to admire the sky in very unusual and original position. Actually it is a way to rest after all the ups and downs in the city’s alleys. On the top of the place there’s the “fonte Gaia” one of the most beautiful fountains of Siena. It was carved by Jacopo della Quercia between the 1409 and the 1419, the one you can admire in the place today is a copy of the original.