The 1290 plaque on the façade of the Rector's Palace, with the underlying 'Balzana' of Siena
On the facade of Santa Maria della Scala are embedded four ancient inscriptions that tell a significant part of the centuries-old Sienese institution's history. The first one is located at the entrance of via dei Fusari, above an arch, now bricked up, on the ground floor of the Rector's Palace, the institutional figure that has guided the entity since its origins.
On the facade of Santa Maria della Scala are embedded four ancient inscriptions that tell a significant part of the centuries-old Sienese institution's history. The first one is located at the entrance of via dei Fusari, above an arch, now bricked up, on the ground floor of the Rector's Palace, the institutional figure that has guided the entity since its origins.
The plaque consists of a rectangular marble tablet in good condition, and it is certainly later than the masonry into which it is embedded, as all the bricks located in contact with the vertical sides of the frame are cut. However, it is highly probable that it was placed immediately after the wall was constructed, marking the completion of the building's construction, dating back to 1290. Below the inscription, the heraldic emblem of the city of Siena, the 'Balzana,' was placed— a shield divided horizontally, white (silver) in the upper part and black in the lower part.