Montepulciano, Italy

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Visit Montepulciano

Montepulciano is situated to the south-east of the Tuscany region of Italy, where it stands high on a rocky ridge overlooking the surrounding countryside. The town has been granted the Italian Orange Flag award for its programme of sustainable tourism.

A tour of Montepulciano can start from Piazza Grande, which has many buildings of medieval and Renaissance style. In the square stands the Palazzo Comunale, very reminiscent of the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence. In front the beautiful Palazzo Contucci del Monte stands out, dating from the second decade of the sixteenth century (originally built by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder and then concluded by Baldassarre Peruzzi) - this is a palace of great beauty with its stone structure and numerous decorations, especially the portal and windows.

Nobili-Tarugi Palace is also very elegant and flanked by the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo - both are clad in travertine, as is the 16th century well. In the second half of the eighteenth century the palace underwent considerable renovation causing the disappearance of a travertine marble staircase leading to first floor on the side of the palace that overlooks the Piazza Grande.

Montepulciano cathedral: Opposite stands the rugged mass of the Cathedral, built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries by Ippolito Scalza, beside the square bell tower, and leading up to slender double lancet windows. The interior of the cathedral has three naves and is famous for the precious works of art, such as the monument dedicated to Bartolomeo Aragazzi, an archpriest of the Cathedral (1427), by the great Michelozzo Michelozzi and the famous "Assumption" by Taddeo di Bartolo from the early fifteenth century; it represents, in the central part, the “Assumption of the Virgin with Saints”. To the sides of the main altar are two statues, which form part of the Aragazzi monument, representing allegorically the virtues of 'fortitude' and of Justice and Faith.

Continuing along Via Fiorenzuola and then Via della Fortezza, we arrive, respectively, before the "Rock" and the so-called “Sasso” ["stone"], which constituted the core of the first fortified citadel of the ancient city walls, later reinforced with two boundary walls. The medieval appearance of Montepulciano is particularly visible in Via Ricci where you can admire the Palazzo Ricci, attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi (1481-1536) and the Neri Orselli Palace (now the seat of the Civic Museum).

Montepulciano Civic Museum: The collections of the museum follow a thematic course divided into four main sections. The first section is devoted to inscriptions, ceramics and metals. Among them is the "Marzocco", of the sixteenth century (the symbol of subjugation of the city in Florence), and the armorial bearings of the Cocconi and Cervini families. Among the ceramics, there are many household objects found in the well and in the basement of building, dating back to the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. The archaeological section contains Etruscan funerary objects dating to the sixth and fourth centuries BC. The Art Gallery houses works by many artists from Siena such as the Crucifixion by Luca di Tommé, the Coronation of the Virgin by Angelo Puccinelli, the Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist attributed to Bernardino di Betto and the Holy Family with St. John the Baptist by Antonio Bazzi. There is also a special section devoted to the terracotta of Andrea della Robbia including the "St. John the Baptist" and a bust depicting “The Redeemer” by Giovanni della Robbia, while one of the most celebrated work of the museum is the Saint Francis by Margaritone d'Arezzo (active in the XIII century), of the thirteenth century.

On either side of the Via Roma there are other palaces echoing the Renaissance style: the Palazzo Cocconi-Del Pecora, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder; and the Palazzo Buccelli with Etruscan urns and plates inscribed in Etruscan and Latin. You come next to the Church of St. Augustine, the façade of which is by Michelozzi (1396-1472) in an elegant Renaissance style. The portal has a narrow bezel topped with a gable with two thin and sharp flame towers, reminiscent of Gothic forms. The rest of the façade was probably completed by another architect, who reworked patterns of Renaissance style. Inside, remodelled in the eighteenth century, are works by Federico Barocci (1535 ca.-1612), Alessandro Allori (1535-1607) and Lorenzo di Credi (1459-1537). On the Altar there is a wooden crucifix, attributed to Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, calle “Donatello” (1386-1466).

Continuing, and after the Chapel of St. Antonio and Palazzo Benincasa, we find the Church of St. Francis. The portal is sharply arched and in the Gothic style. On the altars you can admire some ancient sacred tablets.

Places to visit close to Montepulciano

Outside the city, in open countryside, there is the Church of the Madonna di San Biagio by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder (1453 ca.-1534); it was built on the ruins of the ancient parish church of “San Biagio” church, with a Greek cross plan. It is surmounted by a cupola, with four arms of equal length while the interior consists of large arches and classical decorative elements such as pediments, metopes, triglyphs and niches. The main altar is the work of Albertini (1584). Some of the paintings, such as the “Coronation of the Virgin”, are attributed to Zuccari (sixteenth century). Opposite the church there is the Rectory of St. Biagio, and next to it is a well similar to that in the Piazza Grande.

Around Montepulciano health seekers will enjoy discovering the famous thermae (spas), with a mineral water particularly rich in carbon dioxide that has antiseptic, antispasmodic and anti-allergic properties. The thermal baths of Montepulciano are located about five kilometres from Montepulciano and 3km from Chianciano Terme.

Montepulciano foods and wines

Montepulciano is also famous for its wines, such as the Vino Nobile di Montepulcianno which is a product of great quality among Italian and international wines. Already famous in Etruscan times, it continues to pass the flavours and scents of the territory to this day. We should also mention the Brunello and Vino Santo. These wines are of course to accompany dishes typical of the traditional cuisine of Siena, such as the so-called 'black crostini, an hors d’oeuvre prepared with bovine spleen, onion, white wine, anchovies, capers, salt and pepper, smeared on slices of toasted homemade bread. Among the first courses we recommend the Pappardelle with hare. Among the main courses, very tasty is the Tagliata, a steak cooked on the grill and "cut" in small slices, finished with lemon juice and rocket leaves.

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