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IX – How is Siena, Siena?

Siena stands how it is today because of its good fortune of context. The city was formed on three hills stationed in the middle of a trade route, allowing for its prosperity and growth. These middle men of the middle ages are thought to have organised the early banking industry in Italy during the end of the middle ages and had a strong rivalry with Florence. Luckily, Florence found it appropriate to leave the city in tact after there takeover of the city. Sienna is unique because of these irregularities in environment. It is unique today because of its remarkable similarity to its glory days. It is hard to believe that the city stopped growing and changing in comparison to a place like Rome. The plague that devastated the city is part of the reason that Sienna is as we know it. Although it is no longer bustling with residents in the same way, it now bustles with tourists. It is a unique place because the people in charge have frozen the city in time. They have cordoned off the mid-evil streets to prevent car traffic in much the same way as the tile floor of the cathedral. The city is a museum not an evolving urban environment. Tradition is important to these people. They live in tradition of the past twice every year during the Palio horse races. They identify with flags symbolic of their neighborhood. Will this place evolve? Has it? Yes and no. Living in tradition and history is important to their well being as a place for tourism. This is what Siena is and there is no place like it.

the way the pavings of the cathedral are treated is similar to the approach of preserving the city

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