What is Siena?
[[File:02 Sienne vue de San Clemente.jpg|thumb|250px|Siena]] [[File:SienaCampanile.jpg|thumb|right|The well ''known bell tower'' of the Siena Cathedral]] [[Image:Flag of Siena.svg|thumb|150px|Flag]] [[Image:Siena-Stemma.png|thumb|90px|coat of arms]] '''Siena''' is a [[city]] in the [[Italy|Italian]] [[regions of Italy|region]] of [[Tuscany]]. Its name is spelt '''''Siena''''' in [[Italian language|Italian]]. The city has a [[population]] of about 54,000. The historic centre of Siena has been declared by [[UNESCO]] a [[World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{cite web|title=UNESCO-Historic Centre of Siena|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/717}}</ref> It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.euromonitor.com/_Euromonitor_Internationals_Top_City_Destinations_Ranking |title=Euromonitor Internationals Top City Destinations Ranking > Euromonitor archive |publisher=Euromonitor.com |date=2008-12-12 |accessdate=2010-04-09 |archive-date=2010-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111043452/http://www.euromonitor.com/_Euromonitor_Internationals_Top_City_Destinations_Ranking |url-status=dead }}</ref> Siena is famous for its [[cuisine]], [[art]], museums, medieval cityscape and [[Palio di Siena|the Palio]], a horse race held twice yearly. Siena began as [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]], before it was conquered by [[Ancient Rome]]. Sienna prospered under the [[Lombards]], who became the first Kings of Italy. Lombard nobles governed it until the 8th century, when they were conquered by [[Charlemagne]] and his [[Franks]]. [[Feudal]] rule ended with the death of the [[Countess Matilda]] in 1115, and Sienna became an independent city with its own [[government]]. There were struggles between Siena and [[Florence]] during the [[Middle Ages]] and the [[renaissance]]. The city did well in [[wool]] and [[money lending]] or [[usury]], the charging of [[interest]] on [[loan]]s. == History == - 900 to 400 BC: Sienna, like other [[Tusca