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question 09

How is Siena, Siena and not anywhere else?

Siena is Siena because of it has a particular location in Italy with a unique and complex topography. The city of Siena started with three hills that together formed a valley. Without this specific geographic relationship between the hills, Siena would not be what it is today. The city was formed in three distinct areas: Terzo di Città that houses the Duomo, Terzo di Camollia protected the city against Florence, Terzo di San Martino connected Siena to Rome. Because of the small scale of Siena the hills come together to form one clear center of the city.

The streets of Siena follow the topography to connect the hills. Because of the dramatic changes in topography the circulation is not solved with simple straight streets. A series of alleys, stairs, streets and escalators all work together to bring the city together.  At the center of this is the Piazza del Campo. It is these specific conditions that make Siena unique. The topography defines the city.

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