A city as a collection of treasures

We have been in Siena for three days – in a bus parking lot, surrounded by three-lane main roads, where the 24-hour Le Mans race seems to take place day and night. At least, it sounds that way.

And yet: Something keeps us in Siena. No, it’s not just the weekly market that Icke has been looking forward to for days. Sure, it plays a part – but Siena is more than that. This city has incredibly many interesting, sometimes contradictory faces.

There are the historical buildings, remarkably well-preserved, and young people everywhere. Siena is a university town – almost a third of its slightly more than 50,000 inhabitants study here. You can feel it: in the restaurants, in the shops, in each of the countless narrow alleys. Life pulses everywhere, laughter echoes, friends joke with each other. It’s contagious.

Siena has attractions that its eternal rival Florence has envied for centuries. First and foremost is the Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped heart of the city – one of the most beautiful squares in the world.

This is also where the Palio takes place, that horse race which is not just an ordinary race, but a mix of a folk festival, a confession of faith, and pure madness on four hooves. Twice in the summer, the 17 neighborhoods compete according to strict rules for victory. Three laps, about one hundred seconds – and in the end, it’s not the rider who wins, but the horse.

One of the most beautiful stories comes from August 1957. At that time, a brown stallion named Vittorio raced for the Contrada Aquila. Right at the first turn, the notorious San-Martino bend, he lost his rider – a moment when most horses would break away or give up. Not Vittorio. He just kept galloping. For three laps, without a saddle, without a rider – and he won! All alone, with his mane flying and hooves thundering, while the stadium around him went wild.

Siena is history and stories. Legends and tales surround each of its unique treasures. The cathedral, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, was built in the 12th century. It stands out immediately with its black-and-white striped outer walls. And in its interior, it is said there is a secret room deep beneath the ground, filled with treasures and ancient artifacts. Some believe that the key to this room is hidden in the ornate carvings of the cathedral …

Instead of searching for this treasure in the cathedral, tomorrow I will look for souvenirs and other treasures at the market. Why not – I have already found my treasure.