Print this page Siena: City of Resistance and Medieval Glory

Home to the famous Palio horse race run yearly in its equally famous Campo, Siena is one of Italy’s best-loved hill towns. But it also has a rich history of resistance against Medici rule and Nazi occupation. Learn about the history, art and architecture of this corner of Tuscany.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE OUTLINE

• Siena: City of Resistance and Medieval Glory uncovers the town’s rich history from its Etruscan roots in 7th C BCE to its glory days as a late medieval banking and trade hub to its continuing traditions in the yearly Palio horse race.

• This in-depth seminar will cover Siena’s:

  • UNESCO listed historic centre
  • The Palio tradition
  • The Campo
  • The Palazzo Pubblico and its Allegory of Good and Bad Government fresco
  • The Duomo
  • Its city walls and network of fountains

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Know Siena’s history from the Etruscan period to the present
• Understand how artistic and urban production is connected to political events
• The role of ritual in the formation of civic identity