Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

Siena's magnificent black and white Italian Romanesque cathedral includes the Libreria Piccolomini, with splendid frescoes by Pinturicchio, the lovely Baptistery (separate entrance and charge), and an attached museum (separate entrance and charge, see below). Also marvel at the inlaid floors; even as they are sometimes covered for protection, a section is always left visible. At the height of Siena's power it was decided to enlarge the cathedral so that the existing Duomo would become merely its transept; the money ran out very soon after one of the new outer walls, which is still standing as a reminder of the grandiose undertaking, was completed. It is possible to see all of this in one day, but expect it to take at least the better part of an afternoon.

This medieval hospital, now a museum, is chock-full of medieval art including altarpieces by Bartolommeo Bulgarini and frescoes by the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini. Also part of the complex (no additional admission charge) is the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, which exhibits some important archeological finds from the area, plus items from public and private collections of antiquities that are mostly from Siena and Chiusi.

This is another Gothic palazzo, or at least its façade remains Gothic, though the interior was modernized in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The building since 1932 has housed housed the Accademia Chigiana, the city's conservatory of music. Quite a number of beautiful paintings are part of its collection, but the rooms that house the artwork are often used for classes and rehearsals or simply locked up when not in use, so if you would like to view its holdings, you will probably need to get permission in advance and make an appointment.

This striking structure has functioned as Siena's City Hall for almost 800 years and is probably the building that most recognizably represents Siena. It contains (among many other things) the famous frescoes on good and bad government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, frescoes by Simone Martini and Duccio, and access to the Torre del Mangia, from the top of which you can view a beautiful panorama of the Sienese countryside. The frescoes on good and bad government and their effects on the city and surrounding countryside (painted 1338-1339), probably Ambrogio Lorenzetti's greatest masterpieces, are in the Sala dei Nove, where the Council of Nine who ruled the city state in the early 14th century could see them and, it was hoped, would keep them close to mind while making important decisions. These frescoes and Duccio's Maestà in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo are the most important paintings in Siena and for many people represent highlights of a visit to this city, but there are many other beautiful things to see in the Palazzo Pubblico, so allow some time (preferably a couple of hours) to view them all. This building's exterior is equally beautiful and includes a lovely marble chapel, the Cappella di Piazza, which is at the foot of the Torre di Mangia. Built in 1352, it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, as was the entire city after it avoided annihilation in the devastating black plague of 1348.

The fountain sculpted in 1419 by the great Sienese sculptor, Jacopo della Quercia, is a focal point of the piazza. The remains of the original sculptures can be viewed in the loggia of the Palazzo Pubblico (see above), but the appearance of the fountain, composed of copies made in 1858, is not bad and remains a major sight in this city.

This medieval fountain is the oldest in Siena, built in its current form in 1246. It is the original, not a replica. Not surprisingly, it is somewhat worn and overgrown in places, but still impressive and beautiful, and would be a top sight in most other cities.