Photos: Europe 2003 - Sienna & San Galgano

2003-10-23

We went with Max to Sienna, but stopped first at San Galgano, to see the open-roofed church. Sienna is just a bit to the south of Florence, and San Galgano is not too far from there. Navigating to San Galgano was a bit of a challenge, most of the highways aren't marked with highway numbers, just signs for the towns you'll meet along the way. Luckily we made it there on our first try.






This is the road leading up to the church at San Galgano. It actually comes to the point where I took the picture, then elbow's off down onto a road lined with cypress trees, but there were cars parked all along there terribly ruining any attempts of a good picture.


Here's the front side of the church (just past all the cars and cypress trees).


The gardens were very well kept.


Max, my brother and me.


Mom with Max.


Here's the inside, with the sepia mode turned on. Clearly, there is no roof. Word has it a rock band shot a music video here sometime during the 90's or so. I haven't been able to figure this out for sure, so let me know if you have any info. The roof of the church was taken out when the bell tower collapsed, in 1786.


Down one of the hallways on the side.


Here's the back side. The sun finally broke through the clouds. There were some cool gardens behind the church too, and so peaceful as the few that there were tourists didn't venture out here.


Inside the hermitage, this is the "original" sword in a stone, or so they claim.


City on a hill, that's Sienna. This is a view from the edge of the city.


The most famous part of Sienna is the tower here in the main square, Piazza del Campo. Sienna has much more of the medieval influence than the surrounding areas, it was not affected by the Rennaisance as Florence was.


Also in the Ppiazza del Campo, was a fountain with several of these foxes.


I need to try to attach the top of the tower, but I've been too lazy and not sure if I have a good shot. Thiis, obviously, is my mom and brother with me.


A view of the other size of Piazza del Campo. There are several other Piazzas, but we didn't spend a whole long time wandering the streets on this visit. Definitly room for a longer visit here.


Finally, here's the church in Sienna. Very very different from Florence, much more Gothic styling (At least, thats what I read one place). But, they charge to go inside. My family is of the opinion that the church is for the people. A small fee, yes, appropriate for cleaning and added expenses of having these cathedrals open to the public all the time for viewing, but $8 way more than necessary to cover their costs.