Siena... my favorite
Today, off to another walled city: Siena!
By far, my favorite. The entire town is drenched in beauty.
Having posted our travel intentions on Facebook for this day, our friends Cara and Stefano weighed in, saying they're within a half hour's drive. They are renovating a house in Montelcino, overlooking the Valle d'Orcia. Here are views from their house:
We planned to time it so we could meet for lunch. But first, a peek around town. Again; mostly photos and captions. I couldn't keep up with daily blog posts!
Siena's important feature, other than it's beauty, is that it's the birthplace of Italy's female patron saint, who is also my onomastic saint, Santa Caterina. I noticed that her symbol, the giglio (lily/fleur-de-lis), is the same as San Giuseppe's. It's one of my favorite flowers; I think it's serendipitous that we have a yard full of them. "Our" flower!
Siena's city walls; truly reminiscent of the color 'Burnt Siena' from my primary oil paint kit.
We were greeted with una vista mozzafiato
Visage in Basilica Cateriniana
di San Domenico
Basilica interior
Caravaggio's Santa Caterina
speaks with Jesus.
Entombed relic
Mural
Fresco
Bronze door plate
The Duomo and Campanile
Over the rooftop, reminds me of Iz song
More siena brown
Santa Caterina statue reminds me of the Nelson Mandala statue we saw in Pretoria, South Agrica-- arms are incredibly but necessarily out of scale.
The art is important, but that ceiling!
I saw some quilt pattern ideas for my sister. Here's one of them.
Sky blue with Siena brown.
Street scene
Piazza of the Paleo
A "simple" entrance; Palazzo Pubblico
Palazzo Pubblico e Museo Civico
Sala del Mappamondo
This is the spot where Joe, in awe, pondered how all this could survive in tact f
or so many centuries.
"Because they didn't have Instagram telling them to paint it all white and add black trim," I suggested once again. But added, "Also, there's no direct sunlight to weaken the pigment."
The coffered ceiling, the glass lighting
...and the Louis XV Ghost chairs!
Whenever I see a Greek Key design, I think of Nikos, who loved its form since childhood.
Windows. Slot in wall secures the hardware to hold it open.
I feel ya, Mister. We're also in horror over the US election.
I wanted this poster, but didn't want to
lug it around.
Time to leave and grab something to eat!
Our friends, Cara and Stefano. I adore them! Stefano is passionate about wine and food, navigating the menu and our long lunch in sumptuous fashion. I had the locali cinghiale, Joe had the Sienese pasta, pici, Stefano had the cured guanciale, and Cara changed her mind on her choices, so I forgot what she landed on. We had two bottles of excellent Tuscan wine, which made
Joe very happy.
We fed our stomachs, hearts, and spirits. It was wonderful to be together, and I can't wait to visit them in Montalcino.
We had a caffè (the guys had it corretto) and Siena's famous panforte together after lunch, when Mariella called. They were at the Duomo with our entrance tickets.
We bid our kiss-kisses goodbye, and promised to connect in a few weeks.
Siena Cathedral is a medieval church dedicated from its earliest days as a Roman Catholic Marian church, and now dedicated to the Assumption of Mary.
Architects: Giovanni Pisano, Camaino di Crescentino, Giovanni di Agostin
I chose the fig and almond panforte
The Siena Cathedral surpasses any I've seen, including the Duomo of Firenze
When I first scanned my entrance code and walked inside, I couldn't find Joe anywhere. Mariella waved to me from across this floor mosaic, and I was so relieved to find someone (I hate getting stranded; really hate it), I quick-paced over to her. That is, until the entire church started yelling at me-- I walked over the undetected rope toward them, accidentally stepping on medieval art. This would be an awesome time for one of those vault doors in the floor to slide open and swallow me whole. I had a moment as destructive as an Instagrammer... the irony is not lost on me. But, no damage done and all was forgotten within two seconds.
A sample from the manuscript room. Manuscript , literally: 'handwritten,' or 'scribed'. Alessandra, Vincenzo and I had a lengthy discussion regarding these works and Eco's novel, The Name of the Rose.
More quilt designs for Lori
Mosaics are one thing, intarsia legno is another, but these seamless marble inlays are a craft beyond comprehension. Stupende.
Another baptistry font
Greek Key design/quilt pattern
Downspouts. Horizontal animals speed water from their mouths at intervals down the spouts.
The legend has it that Siena was established by Senius, son of Remus and nephew of Romulus. Therefore the symbol of Siena is a she-wolf breastfeeding Romulus and Remus. This symbol has been repeated in different parts of town and pieces of art.
According to legend the founding fathers of Siena were Senio and Ascanio, the sons of Remus, who, having escaped from their uncle Romulus, constructed Castle Senio. They took with them the statue of the female wolf that they stole from the temple of Apollo in Rome.
Bronze doors of Santa Maria della Scala
I lit a candle
Symbol of Santa Maria della Scala, a cross atop the steps
I know the star is the one for a cappuccin convent; I'm imagining the structure represents an altar or ascension
Fresco
Santa Cristina, the Italian version of my daughter's Greek middle name, does Maria's signature eyeroll of her youth.
More frescoes
More quilt ideas
Quilt or bathroom tile idea
The Siena Cathedral at night,
with crowds gone
Cute old man
Banca di Siena, where payments originated as sale (salt), therefore the word "salary".
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