Palazzo Salimbeni is a historic palace in Siena’s centre, known for its Neo-Gothic façade and long association with the city’s banking history. You can view its exterior from Piazza Salimbeni; guided visits inside are offered on the mornings of the Palio dates.
- Setting: Piazza Salimbeni, along Via Banchi di Sopra.
- Inside visits: Guided visits are offered on the mornings of the Palio dates; there is no general daily visitor schedule.
Where Palazzo Salimbeni stands
Palazzo Salimbeni stands on Piazza Salimbeni, along Via Banchi di Sopra in Siena’s historic centre. Its position makes the square a convenient point to include while walking through the central streets.
For a broader route through the city, read this one-day Siena walking itinerary.
A concise history of the palace
The palace took shape in the 14th century, when an earlier Salimbeni castellare dating to the 12th or 13th century was enlarged. The Republic of Siena confiscated it in 1419, after which parts of the building served as the Dogana del Sale and a Gabella office.
The Monte Pio, founded in 1472 to curb usury, also had its seat here. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena bought the palace in 1866 and made it the bank’s headquarters. The façade facing the square is largely Neo-Gothic: Giuseppe Partini began restoring it in an old-style design in 1877.
What visitors can see from outside
From Piazza Salimbeni, you can see the palace’s triple-light windows beneath pointed arches, along with its battlements and blind arches. The rear of the building, on Via dell’Abbadia, has a brick façade between two towers; an ancient tower and the Fondaco dei Salimbeni remain there.
The historic building houses a Sienese-art picture gallery and the bank’s historical archive, but visits to the art inside are offered exclusively on the mornings of the Palio dates.
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena lists guided visits in Italian and English for the mornings of July 2, the Palio di Provenzano, and August 16, the Palio dell’Assunta. It does not publish regular public opening hours or ticket prices. Before you go, check the official site for opening information.
Add it to a central Siena walk
Make the square a short stop on a walk through Siena’s central streets, taking time to look at the palace façade from the public space. Piazza Salimbeni also brings together Palazzo Tantucci and Palazzo Spannocchi, with a statue of Sallustio Bandini by Tito Sarrocchi at its centre.
The square formed through 19th-century urban changes; before it existed, the site was the narrow, steep Costa Salimbeni slope. From Domus Il Palio, Palazzo Salimbeni is about an 18-minute walk, making it a manageable stop on a Siena visit. For a route linking historic buildings, read this Siena walk to nearby churches and palaces.
FAQs
Can you visit Palazzo Salimbeni every day?
No general daily visitor schedule is published. The bank offers guided visits inside on the mornings of the Palio dates.
Are guided visits offered in English?
Yes. Guided visits are listed in both Italian and English for the mornings of the two Palio dates.
Does the palace have a ticket price?
The bank does not publish a regular ticket price or public opening hours. Contact eventi@mps.it for information about openings.