Siena City Map Poster

About Siena

The city is in a hilly area, at the foot of Monte Amiata. Its climate is warm and sunny, with an average annual temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). Siena was founded by the Etruscans around 1000 BC. It had close relationships with other Etruscan cities such as Chiusi and Tarquinia; it also became an important center for trade through its port on the Arno River, which was one of the most important in Italy during Roman times. In ancient times Siena was known as Seno Romana ("Roman Sea"), to distinguish it from nearby Volterra (Etruscan: Velathri or Velathrum), "Porto Tolle" or "Portu Toli", now a frazione within modern Orbetello) and Saena Julia ("Julian Shore"). Siena has been a walled city since antiquity; its first walls were built between 476 and 475 BC.