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Piazza del Campo

Piazza del Campo

Enjoy Piazza del Campo and let yourself be cradled by the rhythm of Siena. 

Piazza del Campo: 
the heart of Siena

Have you ever seen a square that looks unlike any other?

Piazza del Campo is just that: the heart of Siena. Its unique shell shape, one of a kind in the world, is one of the elements that contributed to the recognition of the historic center as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. Just stop for a moment, sit on the ground, look around, and listen to the voices to understand that you are in a place you will remember forever.

A square to experience, not just to photograph

Piazza del Campo was not created to be crossed quickly. It is a square designed for meeting, lingering, and observing. All around, the historic buildings are harmoniously arranged, while in front rise the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, symbols of Siena.

Those who choose to climb the Tower are rewarded with an unmissable panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. On the other side of the Campo, opposite the Palazzo Pubblico, is Fonte Gaia: the structure visible today is a nineteenth-century copy of the original sculpted by Jacopo della Quercia in the fifteenth century. Some original statues are preserved at the Museo del Santa Maria della Scala.

According to legend, the name Gaia recalls the happiness of the Sienese when they saw water spring for the first time in the square, thanks to the network of underground aqueducts known as Bottini.

The Palio and the transformations of the square

If you have heard of the Palio di Siena, this is where it all takes shape. Twice a year, on July 2, dedicated to the Madonna di Provenzano, and August 16, in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Piazza del Campo changes its face.

The square, paved with sandstone, is covered with tuff, a layer of earth made from a mixture of tuff and sand, on which the horses of the districts compete for victory.

Origin of the name
and shape of the square

 

Piazza del Campo is named so because in the past it was a green space that hosted the market. The nine wedges in which it is divided represent the Government of Nine. 

 

The square was built on hilly and irregular terrain and, instead of being completely leveled, was shaped in a semicircle to facilitate water drainage.

 

Whether it is daytime, with the sun warming the red bricks, or evening, when everything gets darker and the lights of the buildings turn on, Piazza del Campo is a place to be experienced slowly.

Enjoy Piazza del Campo and let yourself be cradled by the rhythm of Siena