Il Palazzo Pubblico – the centre of civic life

At the bottom of the Campo stands the Palazzo Pubblico, the grandiose Town Hall, surmounted by the tall and slender tower. The Town Hall has been the centre of civic life since it was completed in 1310. Outside, this part of the square is still the place for gathering after a victory or defeat in any field, and also the place for meeting friends at any time of day. With its crenellated façade and waving banners, the Town Hall is a Gothic mas¬ter¬piece of rose-coloured brick and silver-grey travertine. Each ogival arch is crowned by the balzana, Siena’s black-and-white emblem representing the mystery and purity of the Madonna’s life. Although bureaucrats still toil in parts of the Palazzo Pubblico, as they have for some seven centuries, much of the complex is now dedicated to the Museo Civico.