Seeing the sights in .NET framework

Drawing ECC200 in .NET framework Seeing the sights

The Biglietto Unico Musei covers the main museums in town (Museo Civico, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Santa Maria della Scala, Duomo and Piccolomini Library, and State Archives) for 14 ($22) You can purchase it from the tourist office and from the travel agency Vacanze Senesi (wwwbookingsienait) If you re planning to see everything in town, the Siena Itinerari d Arte (SIA) Pass (including Museo dell Opera, Baptistery, Oratorio di San Bernardino and Museum, Palazzo delle Papesse, Santa Maria della Scala, Museo Civico, and Sant Agostino) is the ticket for you: It exists in winter (Nov 2 Feb 28 for 13 /$21) and summer (Mar 1 Nov 1 for 16 /$26) versions and is valid for seven days Those who are less ambitious, or have less time, can take advantage of the Biglietto Cumulativo Musei Comunali, which includes entrance to Museo Civico, Palazzo delle Papesse, and Santa Maria della Scala for 10 ($16) and is valid for two days, or the Biglietto Cumulativo Opera Duomo, which also costs 10 ($16), is valid three days, and includes admission to the Duomo, Museo dell Opera, Baptistery, Crypt, and Oratorio di San Bernardino with Museum American Express (% 055-50981) teams with CAF Tours, Via Roma 4 (% 055-283200; wwwcaftourscom), for an all-day excursion from Florence that includes both Siena and San Gimignano, described later in this chapter, for 60 ($96) At the center of the city is Il Campo, a beautiful, fan-shaped brick area that slopes down to the Palazzo Pubblico (1297 1310) You can climb the 503 steps of its bell tower, the Torre di Mangia, to get an unforgettable view over the city s burnt-sienna rooftops out to the green countryside

beyond You can also visit the Museo Civico (% 0577-292226), for a look at the palazzo s beautiful frescoes, including the greatest secular fresco to survive from medieval Europe: Ambrogio Lorenzetti s Allegory of Good and Bad Government and Its Effect on the Town and Countryside, wrapping around three walls and depicting the medieval ideal of civic life Admission is 7 ($11) for the museum and 6 ($960) for the tower; a combined ticket is 10 ($16) The museum is open March 16 to October 31 daily 10 am to 7 pm and November 1 to March 15 daily 10 am to 5:30 pm (until 6:30 pm Dec 25 Jan 6) The tower is open March 16 to October 31 daily 10 am to 7 pm and November 1 to March 15 daily 10 am to 4 pm (closed Dec 25) Siena s other grand sight, the Duomo, Piazza del Duomo (% 0577-283048;

with a facade by Giovanni Pisano and an interior with a floor that combines inlaid, carved, and mosaic marble panels (1372 1547) At the right transept is the Chigi Chapel, designed by the baroque master Bernini Nicola Pisano s best pulpit is at the start of the left transept; the intricately carved Gothic panels (which his son, Giovanni, helped create) depict the life of Christ in great detail Off the left aisle is the entrance to the Libreria Piccolomini, which Umbrian master Pinturicchio filled with frescoed scenes from the life of Pope Pius II Just outside this room is a large marble altar that holds statuettes of Sts Peter, Paul, and Gregory, carved by a 26-year-old Michelangelo Admission to the Duomo is free; entry fee for the library is 3 ($480) except during the exposure of the floor when admission for the Duomo plus the library is 6 ($960) It s open March through May and September through October Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm and Sunday and holidays from 1:30 to 5:30 pm; June through August Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 8 pm and Sunday and holidays from 1:30 to 6 pm; and November through February Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm and Sunday and holidays 1:30 to 5:30 pm Hours vary during the exposure of the floor If you walk down the steep stairs around the Duomo s right side and turn around at the bottom, you see the Baptistery, Piazza San Giovanni, behind the Duomo (% 0577-283048), which was built under the cathedral Inside is a font with bronze panels by some of the early Renaissance s greatest sculptors: Donatello, Ghiberti, and Siena s Jacopo della Quercia Creative frescoes from the 15th century (look for the alligator) cover the walls and ceiling Admission is 3 ($480), and it s open November through February daily from 10 am to 5 pm; March through May and September through October daily from 9:30 am to 7 pm; and June through August daily from 9:30 am to 8 pm (closed Jan 1 and Dec 25) About 700 years ago, Siena started building an ambitious expansion of its cathedral that would have turned the present Duomo into just a portion of the grand new structure, but the Black Death hit in 1348, killing 75 percent of the town s population The Museo dell Opera Metropolitana, Piazza Jacopo della Quercia, adjacent to Piazza del Duomo (% 0577-283048;