Description
Palazzo Salimbeni, formerly the Rocca or Castellare Salimbeni, is a historic building in the center of Siena, in Piazza Salimbeni, and since 1866 it has been the head office of the Monte dei Paschi bank. From outside it looks 14th-century, but the facade on the square is mostly Neo-Gothic.
The facade on the square tries to recreate 14th-century Siena: triple-light windows under pointed arches, battlements and an unbroken row of blind arches, all elements that recall the Palazzo Pubblico. The author is Giuseppe Partini, who restored it in the old style from 1877.
The real Middle Ages are at the back, reached from Via dell'Abbadia. The rear facade, in brick, is squeezed between two mighty towers, and one of the two ancient towers and the Fondaco dei Salimbeni are still there.
Inside, the bank keeps a picture gallery specializing in Sienese art, with works by Pietro Lorenzetti, Sassetta, Jacopo della Quercia, Sano di Pietro and Domenico Beccafumi. It also houses the historical archive of Monte dei Paschi, with documents, seals and administration books.
The palace was built in the 14th century by enlarging a Salimbeni castellare, from the 12th or 13th century, set against the early medieval walls near the church of San Donato. The church was later turned into a conference hall and a museum space for the bank's collection of paintings.
Then, in 1419, the Republic confiscated it: the palace became partly the Dogana del Sale (salt customs) and an office of the Gabella. From 1472 the Monte Pio also had its seat here, created to curb usury.
The Monte Pio was later absorbed by the Monte dei Paschi, whose name alludes to the pastures of the Maremma, controlled by the Sienese state, whose annual revenues were the guarantee for the loans. In 1866 the bank bought the palace and made it its head office.
The 20th century brought more restorations. Carlo Ariotti and Vittorio Mariani remodeled the side palaces of the square too, and from 1959 Pierluigi Spadolini got to work again on the historic seat, with a new reinforced-concrete spiral staircase set against the old Salimbeni tower.
The facade on the square tries to recreate 14th-century Siena: triple-light windows under pointed arches, battlements and an unbroken row of blind arches, all elements that recall the Palazzo Pubblico. The author is Giuseppe Partini, who restored it in the old style from 1877.
The real Middle Ages are at the back, reached from Via dell'Abbadia. The rear facade, in brick, is squeezed between two mighty towers, and one of the two ancient towers and the Fondaco dei Salimbeni are still there.
Inside, the bank keeps a picture gallery specializing in Sienese art, with works by Pietro Lorenzetti, Sassetta, Jacopo della Quercia, Sano di Pietro and Domenico Beccafumi. It also houses the historical archive of Monte dei Paschi, with documents, seals and administration books.
The palace was built in the 14th century by enlarging a Salimbeni castellare, from the 12th or 13th century, set against the early medieval walls near the church of San Donato. The church was later turned into a conference hall and a museum space for the bank's collection of paintings.
Then, in 1419, the Republic confiscated it: the palace became partly the Dogana del Sale (salt customs) and an office of the Gabella. From 1472 the Monte Pio also had its seat here, created to curb usury.
The Monte Pio was later absorbed by the Monte dei Paschi, whose name alludes to the pastures of the Maremma, controlled by the Sienese state, whose annual revenues were the guarantee for the loans. In 1866 the bank bought the palace and made it its head office.
The 20th century brought more restorations. Carlo Ariotti and Vittorio Mariani remodeled the side palaces of the square too, and from 1959 Pierluigi Spadolini got to work again on the historic seat, with a new reinforced-concrete spiral staircase set against the old Salimbeni tower.