I was lucky enough to be chosen, by the Colchester Town Council, to put together a Judo Team to represent the town at the Twin Town Games in the Magical City of Sienna in Tuscany, Italy.
I was also fortunate enough to be working for the Local Newspapers at the time and they requested that I prepare a write-up of the event. I thought it would be churlish not to include a ’’Travelogue’’, of Sienna whilst I was there, so here it is.
I found it hard to understand why the magical city of Siena is not on any of the tours offered by Travel Agents.
Not that I am personally disappointed, for the very selfish reason that I was able to enjoy this Italian delight in comparative isolation from everything that smacks of ’’Holidays Abroad’’.
Just 35 miles south of Florence, Siena is a jewel of medieval splendour. It invites the visitor to stroll through narrow Gothic streets, lined with palaces and patrician mansions, the oldest bank in the world - the entrance of which more befits a church - and the famous Piazza del Campo.
This square or rather quadrant, is the venue, twice annually, for the popular Palio delle Contrade.
The whole town prepares for this spectacular event for weeks beforehand. It recalls the medieval administrative organisation of Siena with its 17 parishes or Contrade, beginning with a procession in costume and followed by, what is possibly the most dangerous and spectacular, horse race, around the Piazza.
The Palio is a standard or banner which bears the effigy of the Virgin Mary and is awarded to the winner. Each rider represents one of the Contrade ’’families’’, of Siena and there is fierce competition to win the Palio for the honour of the family. The organisation of each of the families is too complicated to review it here but it is centuries old and, if looked at from above, the Piazza is, fan shaped and divided by decorated cobbles into sections, each one represents a family or Contrade. Each Contrade lives together in a particular section of the city and has its own bell tower - some of these has been ruined over the years and not completely rebuilt.. This city of ’’Towers’’, is only surpassed in number by another town nearby in Tuscany, San Giminiano.
More than anywhere else, Siena brings to life the reality of a medieval city. It extends over three converging red clay hills at the very heart of the plateau of Tuscany, giving its name to the earthy, brown colour, Burnt Siena.
Whilst Florence, the city of Dante, was greatly influenced by Roman traditions of balance, Siena remained attached to the Greek or Byzantine traditions and the attractions of Gothic painting.
The Duomo (Cathedral), built over two centuries, has an unforgettable facade of ’’wedding cake’’, Gothic. Situated on a hill, the striking, alternative bands of white and black marble used in its construction, can be seen for many miles.
The Torre del Mangia is overwhelming when viewed from the Piazza. I climbed its 400 steps (I counted every one) to the seven tonne bronze bell hoisted 600 years ago, to be struck in the face by the view of Tuscany and of Siena from a height of more than 350 feet.
In the absence of industry, the air is pure although pervaded by the inviting aroma of Tuscan cuisine issuing from the buildings on either side of the narrow, winding streets.
The hills around the city are all topped with Cypress trees which are surrounded with fireflies at night when the scent of blossom is on the air.
Tuscan cuisine is never more inviting than in Siena where, as far back as the 14th century it was possible to eat the specialities available today - Panforte, Ricciarelli, Cavallucci and Copate.
A myriad of wines may be tasted in the Fortezza Midicea (Medici Fortress), and in all the restaurants and trattorie scattered around the city.
Listen to the Siennese when they speak - you are hearing pure Italian. It is said that the inhabitants of Siena are considered to speak most correctly and, students of the language, actually stay here to learn the correct pronunciation.
To this aural perfection you may add the voices and instruments of the pupils and teachers of the Academia Musicale Chigiana who add their own sounds to those of Siena during the cool and perfumed summer evenings.
I spent a wonderful week in Siena and, as you can imagine, found it very difficult to keep in mind the primary reason for my visit. If I did not love being involved with children, particularly in the sport and art of Judo, I could really have forgotten altogether and spent far longer soaking up the fantastic ambiance of this most magical City.
There are many ways to get to Siena, by far the quickest is by air via Florence. There is also the very efficient and reliable Italian Railway Service. For further information, contact the Azienda Autonoma di Turismo di Siena, Italy who will be pleased to send you a free brochure.