Palazzo Pubblico, Siena

Why go

The palace is worth entering for Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s secular fresco cycle and Simone Martini’s Maestà. Together they show how Siena’s rulers used art to picture both public duty and civic prestige in the rooms where government worked. The frescoes still speak directly to the square outside.

What to look for

• Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government fills the Hall of the Nine.
• Simone Martini’s Maestà presents a civic image of the Virgin.
• The façade curves with the shell of Piazza del Campo.

The full story

Construction of the Palazzo Pubblico began in 1297 to house Siena’s republican government. Its stone lower level, brick upper walls and slight inward curve respond to the shape of Piazza del Campo, making building and square feel planned together. The Torre del Mangia followed in the 14th century, projecting civic power above the rooftops. Inside, the rooms of the Museo Civico show an unusual emphasis for their age: art commissioned by the city’s governing body, often on secular themes. Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government, painted for the Hall of the Nine, links justice and civic order to the condition of city and countryside. Simone Martini’s Maestà gives the Virgin a place within the political setting of the council hall. These works make the palace more than a handsome town hall. They let visitors see the values Siena’s rulers wanted to display where decisions were made.

Useful to know

• Use the Museo Civico entrance for the visitor rooms; municipal offices are separate.
• Check museum access around Palio dates and civic events.

Your next visit

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