Siena

Siena (pop. 61,900), city in Tuscany, central Italy. Siena is an agricultural and tourist center and produces wine, cotton goods, marble, and chemicals. An ancient Etruscan settlement, Siena was occupied by the Gauls (c.400 B.C.) and became a free commune in the 12th century. It was attached to Tuscany after 1555. Home to the medieval Sienese school of painting (13th–14th centuries), its attractions include the public square (Piazza del Campo), the 14th-century cathedral, and the Piccolomini Library. It is the scene of 2 medieval, pageant-like horseraces, known as the Palio, held every summer.