- Palazzo del Popolo
The palace was built in 1280-1316. - Etrurian Temple of Belvedere
Remains of an old Etrurian Temple. A wonderful windy location at the top of the cliff. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
This well was commissioned in 1527 by Pope Clement VII and designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
There are 70 windows in the well. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
The well has is 62 m deep and has double-helical stairs around it. - Palazzo del Popolo
Is this a dog with a helmet? And a cow sitting on top of it? - Piazza del Popolo
Well, now ... There must be another way of renovating windows, right? - 12-sided bell tower
Coat of arms on the 12-sided bell tower, next to Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. - Piazza Pianciani
- Palazzo dei Priori
Palazza dei Priori (1293-1443) - Etruscan Arch
One of the two remaining Etruscan gates: constructed in the 3rd century BC and restored by Augustus in 40. - Etruscan Arch
The loggia was added in the 16th century. - View of Perugia
- Torre del Diavolo
San Gimignano is known for its medieval towers. This one is called Devil's because ... apparently ... the owner got home one day finding the tower taller than it was before. Riiiight. All the balconies and terraces are now missing. - Palazzo Comunale
The palace was built in between 1289 and 1298. The tower (Torre Grossa) from 1300 is the tallest in town (54 m). - Torre Rognosa and Torre Chigi
The tall one (52 m) is Rognosa (1200) and the small one is Chigi (1280). - Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del Duomo with the dome and one of the two twin towers (Torri dei Salvucci). - Palazzo Tolomei
Palazzo was built in 1270-1275. It used to be a bank... and it still is. - Loggia della mercanzia
This loggia for merchants was constructed in 1417-1444. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Pastorino dei Pastorini (1549-1552). - Palazzo Pubblico
Palazzo Publico (town hall) in the Piazza del Campo. The palace is from 1297 and the tower (Torre del Mangia) from 1338-1348. - Piazza del Campo
- Torre del Mangia
The tower was built in 1338-1348. Its height is exactly the same ad the height of the cathedral, indicating equal powers of the church and the state. - Siena Cathedral
Piccolomini coat of arms: a blue cross with five crescent. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Lorenzo Rustici (1553-1563). - Palazzo Pubblico
- Palazzo Comunale
In 1405 Pope Pius II renamed his home town Corsignano to Pienza and rebuilt it in 1459 as an ideal Renaissance town. Once a town, it needed a town hall. - Palazzo Comunale
The entrance to the Palazzo Comunale. - Palazzo Avignonesi
Built between 1542 and 1572 by Jacopo Barozzi, known as the Vignola. Now a hotel. - Palazzo Bucelli
The bottom part of this palace is decorated with plenty of Etruscan and Roman remains. Some are quite interesting. - Palazzo Bucelli
I wonder what's the story behind these donkey's ears... Disclaimer: they of course may not be donkey's ears at all. - Palazzo Bucelli
A fish biting a pegasussnake? - Torre di Pulcinella
This 17th century Pulcinella from Naples strikes the time. The funny thing is that no-one knows how and when it got here ;-) - Torre di Pulcinella
Look at the top! - Palazzo Cervini
- Some tall buildings
These are some tall buildings! - Italian charm
This is a charming and inviting entrance. - Palazzo Comunale
Built in 1440 by Michelozzo, inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. - Palazzo Comunale
Now this was the highlight of my trip: climbing possibly the tiniest stairs I've ever seen. And I have climbed some dodgy towers in my life. - Palazzo Comunale
And the higher you go, the smaller they become. - Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi
Piazza Grande in rain. And Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi (left) built in the 16th century by either Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or possibly by Jacopo Barozzi from Vignola. - Palazzo Comunale
I had to agree to so many terms and conditions before I was allowed to climb ;-) - Giotto's Campanile
Giotto stared building this tower in 1334. He combined white marble from Carrara, green marble from Prato, and red marble from Siena. The tower was completed in 1359. - DSC 9615
- Palazzo Vecchio
Officially, such decorations are called grotesque. - Palazzo Vecchio
Grotesque or not, I like them a lot. - Medusa
Medusa's head from the statue Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini (1545-1554) located in the Loggia dei Lanzi. - Ponte Vecchio
THE brige across Arno. Built/destroyed several times. This one is from 1345 and still holds. Butchers used to have their shops here, but were replaced with goldsmiths because of the smell. - Porta San Niccolò
Stone gate in fortification walls from 1324. The walls are gone now, but the entrance tower remains. - View from Piazzale Michelangelo
- Palazzo Vecchio
This court is full of Austrian towns, painted in 1565 by Giorgio Vasari for the wedding celebration of Francesco I de' Medici to Archduchess Johanna of Austria. This is obviously Vienna, with Stephansdom. - Palazzo Vecchio
Another one of the many Austrian towns: Graz.