Palazzo Tolomei, Gothic palace in Siena, Italy.
Palazzo Tolomei is a Gothic palace located on Via Banchi di Sopra in Siena. Its stone facade displays double lancet windows and trefoil decorations across the upper stories in medieval style.
Built between 1270 and 1275, the palace served as the first permanent center of Siena's commune government during the Guelph period. The seat of power later moved when Palazzo Pubblico was established as the city's main administrative building.
The palace is connected to Pia Tolomei, whose story appears in Dante's writings about encounters in the afterlife. Her name remains part of the medieval history that people remember when visiting this place.
The palace now houses the main branch of a bank, so access inside is limited to banking hours. Visitors can view the exterior architecture and the medieval column in front anytime, but interior access depends on business operations.
A crowned she-wolf column stands in front of the palace, a symbol from medieval times that marked important civic power. This sculpture remains a striking reminder of the building's role in Siena's historic banking quarter.
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