Medieval History
On high, in Siena town hall, the 14th-century fresco by Ambrogio Lorenzetti portrays the pestilent consequences of bad government ? and the ordered society which good government produces. There is no doubt about which is ahead.
Down in the city, though, the bad presently wins. The council cannot pass a budget; a state-appointed commissioner has replaced the mayor, as prime minister Mario Monti has replaced Silvio Berlusconi at the head of the Italian government.
- French Towns Sells Off 14th Century Cloister To Pay Debts
The mayor of the southern French town of Saint Emilion has discreetly sold off its 14th century Cordeliers cloister to a private winemaker, leaving local residents shocked and upset. The medieval site was sold for 750 000 euros to help the town pay off...
- Estonia: Renovations To Link Medieval Tower With Underground Passageways
Tallinn has announced it will begin renovating towers along a stretch of city wall that promises to turn the ancient ramparts and secret passageways into a viable alternate route between upper and lower Old Town. The city government announced on October...
- Thousands Gather To Watch The Palio In Siena
Tens of thousands of spectators have gathered in the Tuscan city of Siena on Monday to watch the medieval summer horse race - the Palio - in which horsemen tear bare-back round the city's historic centre. The race is the culmination of several days...
- Solving The 800-year Mystery Of Pisa's Leaning Tower
All six donkeys were impeccably behaved. They?d been ridden into Pisa?s main square, the Piazza dei Miracoli, last November by vexed vets from Pisa University and ceremoniously set down beneath its Leaning Tower. In protest at government cuts across Italian...
- Seminar: "edizioni Digitali Alla Ricerca Di Standards"
Seminar: "Edizioni Digitali alla ricerca di standards" I would like to announce the next Montepulciano (Siena, Italy) seminar: ?Edizioni Digitali alla ricerca di standards?, 4th meeting of the Arezzo DIGIMED series and part of the 1st Master Courses ?Informatica...
Medieval History
The Palio banishes Siena?s woes ? for a day
Down in the city, though, the bad presently wins. The council cannot pass a budget; a state-appointed commissioner has replaced the mayor, as prime minister Mario Monti has replaced Silvio Berlusconi at the head of the Italian government.
The university, among Italy?s best, is broke. The bank that claims to be the oldest in the world ? Monte dei Paschi Di Siena, Italy?s third largest, founded as a pawnshop in 1472 ? lost ?4.7bn last year and had to get state aid.
But in the square outside the town hall, Siena?s resilience is on noisy display. The Palio has come ? not to town, but welled up from its ancient guts, marching out of 17 contradas, the medieval divisions of the city, older than the Monte dei Paschi and more solvent. Their names are Duck, Wave, Panther, Tower, and they surround their citizens? lives.
Click here to read this article from the Financial Times
- French Towns Sells Off 14th Century Cloister To Pay Debts
The mayor of the southern French town of Saint Emilion has discreetly sold off its 14th century Cordeliers cloister to a private winemaker, leaving local residents shocked and upset. The medieval site was sold for 750 000 euros to help the town pay off...
- Estonia: Renovations To Link Medieval Tower With Underground Passageways
Tallinn has announced it will begin renovating towers along a stretch of city wall that promises to turn the ancient ramparts and secret passageways into a viable alternate route between upper and lower Old Town. The city government announced on October...
- Thousands Gather To Watch The Palio In Siena
Tens of thousands of spectators have gathered in the Tuscan city of Siena on Monday to watch the medieval summer horse race - the Palio - in which horsemen tear bare-back round the city's historic centre. The race is the culmination of several days...
- Solving The 800-year Mystery Of Pisa's Leaning Tower
All six donkeys were impeccably behaved. They?d been ridden into Pisa?s main square, the Piazza dei Miracoli, last November by vexed vets from Pisa University and ceremoniously set down beneath its Leaning Tower. In protest at government cuts across Italian...
- Seminar: "edizioni Digitali Alla Ricerca Di Standards"
Seminar: "Edizioni Digitali alla ricerca di standards" I would like to announce the next Montepulciano (Siena, Italy) seminar: ?Edizioni Digitali alla ricerca di standards?, 4th meeting of the Arezzo DIGIMED series and part of the 1st Master Courses ?Informatica...