What is "biccherna"

The Biccherna was the magistrate or chancellery of Finance from the 13th to the 14th century for the republic and then city of Siena, region of Tuscany, Italy.

The records of the office are not only important because Siena was one of the earliest and most important Banking centers of Europe and Italy, but also because the books documenting the records were bound with painted leather covers, often by major artists of their day.

Many of these mainly secular covers are displayed in the Archives of the State of Siena located in the Palazzo Piccolomini located on via Banchi di Sotto corner via Rinaldini.