Siena is known to today's travelers as one of Italy's best preserved medieval towns (photo gallery) with fine Gothic architecture and Palio, a traditional horse race festival, and Fonte Branda (Fountain of Fontebranda), which was cited by Dante in Inferno Canto 30.

Ma s'io vedessi qui l'anima trista
di Guido o d'Alessandro o di lor frate,
per Fonte Branda non darei la vista.

But if I here could see the tristful soul
Of Guido, or Alessandro, or their brother,
For Branda's fount I would Dot give the sight. (Translated by Longfellow.)

'Renaissance Siena: Art for a City', to be open on Oct. 24 in The National Gallery (UK), will showcase the bravura techniques and virtuoso inventiveness of two of the greatest Sienese artists of this period, Francesco di Giorgio and Domenico Beccafumi, alongside many of their contemporaries.

Around one hundred beautiful paintings, sculptures, drawings, manuscripts and ceramics will be included in the exhibition.

Be sure to check out this interactive tour of Sienese art.

Francesco di Giorgio, 'Saint Dorothy and the Infant Christ', probably 1460s.
London, The National Gallery.You can help the Sichuan earthquake victims today by

here, the money goes into purchasing water purification tablets.