Orto de' Pecci

The Orto de' Pecci is located in the centre of Siena and is a little slice of countryside only a few hundred metres from Piazza del Campo. It is an emerald with a long, fascinating history that is unknown to even many Sienese: a piece of the city inhabited and then destroyed by the plague in the 14th century, it was crossed by condemned prisoners as they passed through the Porta Giustizia on their way to judgement. In the past, it was the property of the Psychiatric Hospital, and recovered patients would cultivate the fields and the orchards for their basic needs of fruit, vegetables and farm animals.

Today the garden is managed by the social cooperative La Prosposta and is an ideal space for everyone, whether you want to relax a bit while visiting the town, or discover a unique place with a reconstruction of an old, urban, medieval orchard. It is also perfect for families with children who need a bit of break in the greenery.

The Orto de' Pecci is also involved in the circuit of educational farms around the Province of Siena. Even the youngest can get to know the countryside and make contact with the 'animal village', while older children, thanks to both the medieval orchard and the organic orchard, can learn about the differences between cultivation techniques of the past and those of today.