Dome

Close view of north section of town; Views of Siena, a city in Italy, situated at a height of 322 m in the hills of southern Tuscany between the valleys of the Arbia and the Elsa. It was founded by at least the 3rd century BCE, the date of the earliest archaeological evidence, and became a colonia under Augustus. It flourished particularly during the medieval period, when its merchants and bankers developed business interests in many parts of Europe and the Near East. From the second half of the 13th century to the mid-14th, Siena was one of the most important centres for the arts in Europe, especially in the areas of painting, sculpture and goldsmiths' work. [The Historic Centre of Siena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.] Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/29/2008)