When the Palazzo Pubblico (Public Palace) was built at the end of the 13th century to give the government a stable seat, Siena was at the height of his splendor and wanted to show it off through its architecture. It is an excellent example of the precision and beauty of Gothic architecture.

The museum in the Palace has a few rooms that are wall-to-wall with frescoes. The highlights include the “Allegory of Good and Bad Government” by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and the lavish Maestà by Simone Martini, that depicts the city’s patron, the Virgin Mary, in all her splendour.

Nearly every major room in the palace contains frescoes. These were unusual for the time in that they were commissioned by the governing body of the city, rather than by the Church or by a religious fraternity.