Sienna has signs of being frozen in the medieval times. The town was like a breath of fresh air! Everyone was very nice and seemed so happy! And why shouldn’t they be? The Tuscan region nearby, rolling hills, and wine in abundance! Prices are less expensive than Rome for pretty much anything you may want.
Our class went on a walking tour of the city. The knowledgeable guide filled us in about the history of the area along with some interesting side notes. During the Medieval era, only the very rich could afford the conveniences of modern bathroom facilities. They added the bathrooms on to existing dwellings. See the slideshow to get an idea of the concept. The addition had a hole in the center of the floor where waste would fall to the ground below. Prior to that, the general rule of thumb was to yell out a warning to those passing by below as one dumped the contents of bathroom waste out the window. Failure to yell something out was a good way to get fined! These fine tickets were similar to fines of speeding tickets of today.
Another additional interesting aspect of Sienna is their passion for the Palio horse races. Twice a year, in July and August, they have a brutal and dangerous horse race with bareback riders. Sienna is separated into wards, or Contrades. Each Contrade is represented by a mascot or animal. Those in the ward proudly display their Contrade flag! Horses are assigned randomly to each Contrade and the intense training period begins. Prior to the race, the horse is even blessed in church. They also have a separate entrance for the horse to enter the church. It is the horse not the jockey that is revered. On the day of the Palio itself the horses are accompanied by a spectacular display of drummers and flag twirlers dressed in traditional medieval costumes that first lead the horse and jockey to the Contrade parish church and then join a procession around the Piazza del Campo square. The race lasts al of three minutes but the coveted trophy is proudly cherished by the winning Contrade.
Sienna was a teaser because we only stayed one day. Then it was on to Florence!
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