Siena – Leather, horses, and history

Linda G. looking at Italian shoes.

Gently rubbing the soft Italian leather between my finger and thumb I muse; blue, red, yellow, or perhaps multi-coloured, undecided as to the colour of shoes I would like to buy.  

And then I hear it!  A parade is coming. 

The shoes are tossed onto the shelf: forgotten.  The scowling clerk stares after me.  She was certain that I was about to purchase a pair, or two, of shoes.  Nah! 

 

Parades, and music, and an opportunity to take yet more photographs are of greater interest to me.

 

 

 

Parade!

The advancing musicians are dressed in elaborate red, black and white costumes, advertising the mid-June medieval feast in Siena.

The participants sternly march forward, beating a tattoo on the drums, shouldering heavy flags. There is no laughter, or waving, or tossing of wrapped candies to the crowd.

This is serious business.

 

 

Siena like other Tuscan hilltop cities is said to have been founded sometime between 900 to 400 BC (BCE) by the remarkable but mysterious Etruscans.  Around 60 BC it was next colonized by Romans, reportedly Senius the son of Remus, one of the two legendary founders of Rome.  Siena's city emblem is the she-wolf that purportedly raised Remus and his brother Romulus.  

 

In the later part of the 5^th century AD (CE) the Kingdom of Lombard controlled much of Tuscany including Siena, allowing the city to prosper under the rich empire. 

The heart of the city is the huge piazza known as Il Campo the site of the famous Palio di Siena horse races held twice a year in July and August.  Unfortunately we were in Siena in June, so missed the event.  It is often a brutal and dangerous battle for the horse and bareback rider, but the city thrives on the pride this competition brings with passions and rivalry similar to a football match.   

 

 On race day a massive crowd jams the centre of the piazza, and the overflow fills in the surrounding restaurants and bars.  The brightly attired riders and horses circle the piazza three times running along the edge of the crowd, pounding over the dirt-covered cobblestone streets.  The fast treacherous turns frequently spill the riders from their mounts, leaving a rider-less horse to finish the race.  With all the pageantry, colour, singing and cheering it is a fascinating but quick race; normally over in just 90 seconds!

Lawrie and Richard G., enjoying the shade and cool drink.

We settled for the more sedate activities of Siena – shopping, eating, and sight-seeing. 

Leather, food, wine, and ancient ornate cathedrals.  It’s enough activity for us to fill the afternoon, perfectly. 

I contemplated returning to the store to buy the shoes, but reality set in.  We live year-around in the tropics, with frequent, albeit brief, rainstorms.  Fine leather shoes would turn to mouldy goop in mere weeks.   I’ll leave them for someone else to enjoy!

 

Lisieux France, Normandy

Saint-Dennis Cathedral in Lisieux France

Begun in the 6th century and completed in the 12th century the ancient limestone structure of Saint-Pierre Cathedral dominates the centre of Lisieux France. 


Gazing at the intricate carvings and the buttressed walls I was reminded of my favourite novel: Pillars of the Earth, written by Ken Follett. 


In the book the author describes in detail the effort, the materials, and the skills required to build the massive cathedrals of the era. 

Cathedral details

The novel recreates, quite vividly, the entire life of the village surrounding the cathedral, and of the people who live there.  The construction of cathedrals typically happened over a span of a hundred or more years. 

It was at Saint-Pierre Cathedral in 1152 that the future King of England Henry II, married the richest woman in Europe - Eleanor of Aquitaine.


However, this cathedral is noted for a less noble distinction.  The Bishop Cauchon, who in the 15th century played a key role in the trial and death of Joan of Arc, is buried in there. 

Luckily this ancient cathedral somehow escaped serious damage during bombing campaigns of the World War II. 

Lisieux is a small city in the northern reaches of France - called Normandy.  The area has been inhabited since pre-historic times, by an amazing mix of people. 

Cathedral details

 In the late 3rd century, barbarian raids devastated Normandy.  Coastal settlements were raided by Saxon pirates.  In the 5th century, Germanic tribes invaded from the east, while the Saxons subjugated the Norman coast. 

The area was also very desirable for the occupying armies during both World War I 1914-1919, and World War II 1939-1945.  It would seem that everyone wanted a part of this fertile area with its rolling hills, that dip down to the valley of the Seine River. 

Normandy is famous for cattle, cheeses, butter, apples, apple cider, and the potent apple-brandy known as Calvados. 



Ancient wooden houses in Normandy


Looking for something interesting for dinner we wandered away from the centre of Lisieux towards a group of ancient, sloping, half-timbered houses: still inhabited. 


In the bottom of one of the houses is a restaurant, the Vieux Norman, that has been in existence for hundreds of years at that location. 


The personable proprietor of the restaurant sold us on the Normandy speciality - galettes - a thin, buckwheat flour pancake slightly larger than a crêpe, traditionally folded over a savoury filling of cheese or cream-based sauces, and garnished with a slice of ham, or eggs.  We gave it a try - ham for Lawrie, and smoked salmon for me.   


Galettes are a hearty meal perfect for a day when the chilly fog rolls across the English Chanel and blankets the low-lying land of Normandy. 

Galette - hearty meal in Normandy France

Stuffed from dinner we wandered back towards our hotel. 

Exploring the backside of the cathedral, we poked under tarps that covered scaffolding, piles of limestone blocks, carved stone decorations, and a myriad of building materials stockpiled while yet more repairs are made to the ancient Saint-Pierre Cathedral. 


So, maybe there is no actual "end date" to a cathedral.  Maybe they are on-going projects - built, and re-built over the centuries, with additions and improvements appearing as money is raised from the populace.

Materials to repair the cathedral



Lisieux was a very pleasant, and quaint stop on our way through Normandy.