The 3.7 magnitude tremor was strong enough to send people rushing out of buildings and into the streets in Siena, and shake plaster off the exterior of the baptistery of the cathedral, local sources said.
Checks to establish any further damage inside the place of worship took place shortly after the quake, its epicentre at Poggibonsi, they said, with visitors allowed to return after about an hour.
The earthquake was also felt in Florence and Empoli – and hit shortly after the region tested an emergency alert system.
As a precautionary measure, some streets in Siena’s historical centre have been closed to cars and pedestrians.
The city is famous for its artustic heritage and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Italy is no stranger to earthquakes, with deadly tremors in 2009 and 2016 killing approximately 300 people each.
ANSA
