Piazza Salimbeni Audio Guide

Piazza Salimbeni: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Piazza Salimbeni

   Welcome to Piazza Salimbeni, a prominent square in the historic center of Siena, in the heart of Tuscany. It sits in the Camollia district, just off the busy shopping street of Via Banchi di Sopra. You step off that lively street and into a surprisingly calm, formal space. This is a place where medieval power, Renaissance architecture and modern finance meet in a single frame. The square has an unusual claim to fame. It still houses the offices of one of the first banking houses in Europe, the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Medieval towers, a fortress and elegant palaces surround it, and a bronze figure stands at the center. Over the next few minutes we will look at the powerful family who gave the square its name, the moment their fortunes collapsed, the nineteenth century architect who gave the square the look you see today, and the curious monument in the middle. Take a slow look around as we go. This square rewards the patient observer.

2. 02

   The Salimbeni and Their Fortress

   The square takes its name from the Salimbeni, one of the great mercantile families of medieval Siena. Their home was no ordinary house. It was one of the most imposing, complex and heavily fortified strongholds in the city. Its origins lie in a fortified complex of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and the palace you see was raised in the fourteenth century on top of those older medieval structures. The family's story ended dramatically. In 1419 the Salimbeni were driven out of Siena, and their possessions were confiscated. The fortress that had symbolized their power passed into the hands of the city. Look at the whole ensemble and you will see more than one building. The square brings together several structures from the thirteenth century onward: towers, the fortress, the Fondaco of the Salimbeni, which was a kind of merchant warehouse, and the small palace of Ranieri Salimbeni. Together they remind you that this was once a private district of a family powerful enough to rival the city's institutions.

3. 03

   From Pawnshop to Powerhouse Bank

   What happened to the fortress after the Salimbeni fell is one of Siena's great stories. The palace came under public control and was used for civic functions, including the customs offices. Then, in 1472, the Sienese authorities established the Monte di Pietà in the building. This was a charitable lending institution, created to help people in need. That institution is the ancestor of the Monte dei Paschi. In the nineteenth century the bank took over the palace, and it has remained the headquarters ever since. When you stand in this square, you are standing in front of the birthplace of a financial institution that has been counted among the oldest banks in the world. The bank has also become a patron of art. The collection housed in the fortress includes masterpieces by Sassetta, Pietro Lorenzetti and Beccafumi, all names that define Sienese painting. Alongside the historic archive, the collection is a precious witness to the economic history of Siena. Art and money have been closely linked here for centuries.

4. 04

   Partini's Neo-Gothic Stage Set and Bandini's Statue

   Now look at the facade of the main palace. In the nineteenth century it was remodeled in a neo-Gothic style. Notice the crenellated merlons along the top, the Lombard bands of small arches beneath them, and the pointed windows divided into three openings. These details were inspired by Siena's own Palazzo Pubblico, the city's town hall. The architect Giuseppe Partini redesigned the square as a whole, unifying the surrounding buildings so that they speak the same medieval language. At the back, the fortress facade is also by Partini, a nineteenth century creation that borrows the spirit of the Middle Ages. Around the square you will also find the Renaissance Palazzo Spannocchi, dating to 1470 and designed by Giuliano da Maiano. A sixteenth century palace stands on the north side. The palace itself was renovated again in the twentieth century by the architect Pierluigi Spadolini, and the square was reorganized by a restoration between 1963 and 1972. At the center stands the statue of Sallustio Bandini, sculpted by Tito Sarrocchi and dated to 1882. Bandini lived from 1677 to 1760. He was an economist and archdeacon, remembered for his contribution to economic thought and for leaving his valuable library to the city. A square built around banking could hardly have chosen a more fitting hero.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off

   As you leave, remember that the palace is the working headquarters of a bank, so the square itself is the best place to enjoy it. The whole area is pedestrian, and it lies within the limited traffic zone of the historic center. That makes it a pleasant place to pause and let the scene settle. Before you go, try a small game. Stand near the statue and let your eyes move from the fortress with its battlements to the Renaissance palace on one side and the sixteenth century palace on the other. Ask yourself how many centuries are sharing this one space, and how a nineteenth century architect made them feel like a single family. Then walk back toward Via Banchi di Sopra and notice how quickly the mood changes. Other great medieval palaces line that street, and each one has its own story waiting to be discovered.