The Campo and Palazzo Pubblico are the center of life in Siena.
The almost semi-circular Campo is surrounded on one side by the Palazzo Pubblico shown here, which is now a museum,
and on the larger curved side, there are many sidewalk cafes.
The Campo itself, is accessed by several entrances from the main pedestrian street just above it,
which has steeply sloping ramps or steps going down into this area.

The broad walkway around the Campo is the site of the famous "Palio", a horserace which is run two times in the summer,
where each "Contrada" in Siena has a horse and jockey entered in the race.
There is a great deal of festivity involved in the event, with feasting and wagering over which contrada will have the winning entry.
A horse can win the race, even if the jockey is dismounted in some way, which can happen considering the slope of the track and the intense competition involved.

Thousands of locals and tourists pack the entire Campo for the event, and every window in the surrounding buildings becomes
a choice viewing spot.