Siena dei nonni - Volume II

After the success of his previous volumes Siena dei bisnonni and Siena dei nonni, Luca Luchini continues his journey through the memory of his city with a new publication: the second volume of Siena dei nonni, dedicated to the 1930s. 

With an engaging journalistic style, the author takes us on a journey through a Siena in the process of transformation, describing its squares – in particular the Piazza del Campo and the Piazza del Mercato – which were at the centre of this decade of change, innovation and development, not only in terms of urban planning, but also from an economic and social point of view.

Luchini discusses many aspects of city life: from the birth of the universities to advances in healthcare, from the advent of radio and telephones to the evolution of the Palio, from the spread of sport practices to the cultural life of cinema and theatre, from transport issues to economic growth, and even the complex relationship with Mussolini.

A vast selection of photographs enriches the volume: evocative black and white images recount the urban evolution of the city, marked by new transport systems – including trains, cars and bicycles – and the changing habits and customs of its inhabitants.