Gorgeous views from Siena’s Torre del Mangia

Last summer my husband and I were back in beautiful Sienna, in Tuscany, after an absence of several years.

Siena is always beautiful, and it was fun to enjoy a passeggiata through its gorgeous center.

Despite being a very hot July day, there was no way we would miss climbing the medieval Torre del Mangia, so we booked tickets to be able to climb up those exhausting steps, water in tow.

And be prepared to climb up loooots of them – 400 steps in total (!!) .

But the effort is more than worth it to enjoy those gorgeous views from town hall’s tower.

This spectacular tower forms a dramatic part of town hall, reaching an impressive 88 meters in height. Pretty impressive for having been built in 1348! It was envisioned as symbolizing the equilibrium between the powers of Heaven and those of Earth,

Even today, where we are accustomed to skyscrapers, Siena’s tower can’t help but awe modern visitors.

In 1798, Siena suffered a terrible earthquake, but the Torre del Mangia was unaffected, strengthening the confidence in its superior architecture & engineeering.

Not surprisingly, this tower has been painted by numerous artists, from medieval times to the present.

The views from the top over the twsiting streets of this spectacular medieval town are well worth the effort of the climb. And yes, it is an effort. Especially in July!

Do not miss out on climbing the Torre del Mangia when you are next in beautiful Siena. Once you’ve caught your breath, you’ll be very pleased you did!