Torre del Mangia, Siena

Torre del Mangio When you think of Piazza del Campo, you will automatically see a huge bell tower in your mind's eye. This is the 102 meters (88 meters if you don't include the Palazzo itself) high bell tower: Torre del Mangia. The tower is a true landmark of the city. Built in the fourteenth century by the Rinaldo brothers, it stands next to the Palazzo Pubblico. The striking thing about the tower is that the lower part is in Gothic style and the top is not. At the foot of the Torre you will find a chapel, which was added after the plague epidemic in 1352. You can also climb the Torre for a small fee for a beautiful view over the city. ******* Palazzo Pubblico (Museo Civico) Also on the Piazza del Campo you will find the Palazzo Pubblico, the town hall, which was built between 1297 and 1310. Previously, the Palazzo was the seat of the Signoria and the Podestà; now it is one of the most elegant palaces of that time. The Palazzo has a recognizable appearance with light natural stone and orange bricks. In the town hall there is a museum, the Museo Civico, where you can view paintings and frescoes.

Great views. Decent price for a family ticket. Kind of a must if you’re in Siena, you’re going to want the picture and to say you did the climb. I’m not in great shape but I made it up, down was slower as I was a bit lightheaded. They insist you only stay up for ten minutes, so that detracted from the experience but I understand, there’s only one shoulder width on the stairs, you can’t have folks up and down at the same time.