Piazza Salimbeni
On Gingerguide's self-guided Siena audio tour, Piazza Salimbeni is a stop worth about ~20 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~20 min
- Siena Siena guide
About Piazza Salimbeni
Piazza Salimbeni is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval piazzas in Italy, three palaces from three different centuries (Gothic, Renaissance, Mannerist) enclosing a harmonious square that has been the headquarters of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank since 1472.
Piazza Salimbeni is one of the most remarkable urban ensembles in Siena, a small, enclosed square at the northern end of Banchi di Sopra, flanked on three sides by three palaces built in three different centuries, creating a harmonious architectural set piece that has been largely unchanged since the fifteenth century.
The three palaces are: the Palazzo Salimbeni (14th century Gothic, on the north side), the Palazzo Spannocchi (15th century Renaissance, on the right), and the Palazzo Tantucci (16th century Mannerist, on the left). All three are now part of the headquarters complex of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank still in operation, founded in 1472 in Siena. The bank's origins were in the Sienese civic tradition of public lending institutions (the Monte di Pietà) established to provide low-interest loans to the poor; it has evolved into one of Italy's largest commercial banks while maintaining its headquarters in the Piazza Salimbeni where it has been for over five hundred years.
Did you know? The Monte dei Paschi di Siena, founded in 1472, is the world's oldest bank in continuous operation, outlasting every rival, surviving wars, plagues, revolutions, and financial crises for over 550 years. Its name refers to the pastures (paschi) of the Maremma whose agricultural revenues were the bank's original financial guarantee.
How much time do you need at Piazza Salimbeni?
Around ~20 min works well for Piazza Salimbeni — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Piazza Salimbeni?
Yes — Piazza Salimbeni made the cut as one of 20 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Siena. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Siena
Hear the story of Piazza Salimbeni
Preview the Siena tour free in the Gingerguide app.