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Palazzo Communale, Siena

13th-century Palazzo Communale was built as Piazza del Campo’s centerpiece. Its concave façade mirrors the piazza’s opposing convex curve. The structure was built to house the government. Today, the council still offices in the upper levels, but the main rooms house the Museo Civico. The marble chapel at the base of the tower, the Cappella…

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Piazza del Campo, Siena

14th-century hilly Piazza del Campo is the heart of the city and the former site of a Roman marketplace. It is divided into nine sections, which represents the number of ruling council members in the Consiglio dei Nove (Council of Nine), an elected executive committee dominated by the mercantile class. 15th-century Fonte Gaia, or Happy…

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Siena, Italy

Siena is a striking, well-preserved Gothic city. Many of the original buildings remain, and few new structures have been built, mostly due to limited resources after its 13th-century boom and subsequent bust. Myth has it that Siena was founded by Senius, son of Remus, but it was likely founded by the Etruscans and established as…