April 29, 2014: The weather was cool and crisp, but dry, thank goodness. What a gorgeous city. We toured the Palazzo Vecchio which is an ancient 14 th century palace in the heart of the city. Photos were not allowed but I have a photo from the top floor. The bell in the tower was used to call citizens to public meetings. It was amazing to tour the apartments of the aristocrats from that era.
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This photo is from the top floor housing the apartments looking towards the Duomo.
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The next day took is to the medieval city of Siena which is a town made up of many hills. Between going up an and the stairs and hills of Siena, our legs quite a workout. This city is well known for its famous horse race called Il Palio which takes place in the town square and still runs today. We toured the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Crypt. The Duomo was spectacular. The townspeople helped transport the black and white marble from the local quarries that adorns the inside of the Duomo. The last nave of the Duomo remains unfinished as the Black Plague in the 1300\’s wiped out two thirds of the population of 100,000, and to this date the population has remained around 60,000.
P,ease forgive me if this post is riddled with error. I tried a new program that did not work too well for me. Now, on to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.