As I mentioned in a previous column, I have always dreamed of celebrating my birthday in picture-perfect Tuscany, as I’ve seen it in the movies. And then, in a flash, thanks to my younger sister, Esperanza, who painstakingly put together our Italian holiday I found myself in my dream destination
Picturesque Siena is right at the center of Italy’s Tuscany Region. It is known for its medieval buildings made of bricks, and it has a very interesting story to tell.
Local legend says that the brothers Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome, were born of a She-Wolf. When Romulus later killed Remus, the latter’s two sons made their quick getaway from Rome and settled in Siena, bringing with them the statue of the She-Wolf which they got from the Temple of Adonis.
A replica of the statue is displayed on top of a concrete column in the city’s Piazza del Duomo and is one of the many attractions that can leave any seasoned tourist spellbound. We had time to visit a few of them.
The oldest bank in the world is in Siena. Banca Monte Dei Paschi di Siena continues to operate to this day and is located in Piazza Salimbeni, where the statue of Sallustio Bandini is also found. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, finance researchers will tell you that he was a great economist who paved the way for an effective banking system. He also introduced the use of checks as a form of payment.
A few blocks away is the Piazza del Campo, the city’s main plaza, where all its 17 districts spread out from. Here is where the iconic Palazzo Pubblico stands. This magnificent Gothic structure is now the town hall, and it looks even more spectacular with the 88-meter-tall Torre del Mangia, where tourists can go up to its crown and enjoy breathtaking views of the beautiful city.
I was lucky to have been able to take a dramatic shot of this historic structure, with the noontime sun crowning the tower, as shown on this page.
Our tour guide egged us on to see what she described as “a most beautiful church.” A short walk from the piazza is the Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta. Sure enough, we were awed by its façade. But if the exterior is impressive, the interiors are even more stunning!
What made the interiors strikingly unique are the black-and-white stripes painted on the tall columns and the walls. Our tour guide explained to us that black and white were the official colors of Siena because “when the two sons of Remus fled to Siena, they rode in a black horse and a white horse.” This interesting local legend has certainly added more oomph to the visual treat that tourists enjoy in this city.
The cathedral’s interiors banner many other wonderful sections that tourists like me gush over. The ornate pulpit is fully covered with carvings of scenes depicting the history of the city. There is a library inside the cathedral, which churchgoers can visit any time, and its ceiling is filled with awesome frescoes showing the battles the sons of Remus had to fight. And, right inside the main entrance, on the floor is the beautiful mosaic masterpiece showing the legendary She-Wolf surrounded by the emblems of the cities around Siena.
Another interesting highlight of our tour to Siena was the lunch we had. We drove all the way outside the city and had real, honest-to-goodness Tuscan cuisine served in a private residence in one of the many vineyards in the countryside. Not only was the menu delectable, I also enjoyed the captivating scenery that unfolded before us.
My mental picture of Tuscany was right there, in front of me—a panorama of vineyards on breezy, rolling hills, dotted with peach-colored houses and accentuated by rows of majestic cypress trees. The splendid scenery confirmed to me once again that I was right there where I wanted to be for my birthday, enjoying the blessings of life, at the center of Tuscany.
YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE
A good wife always forgives her husband when SHE’s wrong.
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