Why it belongs in ORBIS
Panificio Il Magnifico has baked Sienese specialties like panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci from its shop near Piazza del Campo since 1952, now run by third-generation baker Lorenzo. Lorenzo inherited the family's sourdough starter and techniques from his father Giorgio, and still bakes everything by hand in a traditional wood-stick oven.
Panificio Il Magnifico has operated from a historic palazzo near Siena's Piazza del Campo and Duomo since 1952, baking traditional Sienese sweets across three generations of the same family of bakers.
Lorenzo, the bakery's current baker, took over from his father Giorgio and uncle Silvio in 1980, learning the craft from childhood and inheriting the family's sourdough starter along with its techniques. Everything is still hand-kneaded and baked in a traditional wood-stick oven, including panforte, ricciarelli — an almond confection dating to the 14th century — cantuccini, cavallucci and seasonal items such as pan co' santi, panpepato, colomba pasquale, schiacciata di pasqua and panettone.
The bakery remains a single storefront on Via dei Pellegrini in Siena's historic center, selling its handmade sweets daily to locals and visitors passing through the city's medieval heart, just steps from the piazza and cathedral.