April 13th: Chiusure to Siena to Florence

We left the agriturismo belonging to Monte Oliveto Maggiore this morning and went to the Abbazia for wine tasting.  We were sad to leave La Pienza and its friendly staff behind.

After wine tasting and purchasing two bottles of Red Monk (San Giovese) we carried on our way to Siena.  The GPS took us straight to parking and most of the escalators were working to take us up about 100 meters in elevation.  We visited the Duomo, and the Santa Maria de Scala hospital which has been turned into a museum.  The Etruscan finds were truly awesome.  It was very interesting to see that the urns (little boxes for the most part) seem to mostly come from a common mold with the motifs being exactly the same no matter where the burial was found.  There must have been a central factory producing these.  The lids were more individualized, although there seemed to be a couple of main types for these as well, with the same resting or reclining body on dozens of examples, but with heads attached that were sculpted to represent the actual individual.  Of course, there were some that were completely individual creations made for the wealthy.

The Campo in Siena

Etruscan Sarcophagus (bespoke)

After a bit of a whirlwind tour of the streets of Siena (yes, the campo is delightful), we visited the duomo, then the museum, formerly the hospital, of Sanata Maria di Scala.



Inside the Duomo (Siena).  Flags of the Palle.

We carried on to Florence where we returned our car.  We are here until Friday, with tours booked of the Uffizi, Academia, and the Varsari Corridor.

We had a great meal.  I had pasta with Boar, and Margaret had pasta with spinach pesto.  It was great, as was the Chianti!  Margaret is asleep, so it is my turn to blog.

Pictures to follow tomorrow some time. Ciao!  
(Look out below!  - M)

The old brick path leading down to Monti Oliveto Maggiore

Inside the Piazza Chigi

Marble inlay on the floor of the Duomo (Siena)



Pops from the past look down scornfully at visitors to the Dumo (Siena)

Puti crushed under the Baptismal font like so many moths!

Etruscan sarcophagi in the Museo Della Scala (Siena)

The country between Chiusure and Sienan

Part of a fresco cycle showing the works of della Scala (a hospital until the 1990's)