Pienza is called the 'Ideal city of the Renaissance'and is one of the most suggestive places in the Toscana. The beautiful village, a Unesco heritage since 1996, is located in the heart of the Val d'Orcia between Montalcino and Montepulciano south of Siena. The town is the most authentic expression of the urban canons of the Renaissance period for the rational organization of spaces and for the perspectives of the squares and palaces of the Five hundred.
"Pienza, born from a thought of love and a dream of beauty ", so the poet Giovanni Pascoli defined it for its completely unique characteristics. The Tuscan town is very famous and is visited every year by many tourists from all over the world.
Pienza, the city of Pope Pius II
Pienza takes its name from the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini who later became Pope Pius II. The scholar then climbed the throne of Peter, transforms his native village, Corsignano, into a town that embodies the principles and philosophy of the classical age and the great Italian Renaissance. Piccolomini entrusts the project to the architect Bernardo Di Matteo Gambardelli known as Rossellino, under the guidance of the great humanist Leon Battista Alberti.
In just 3 years a set of beautiful buildings was built including the cathedral, the papal residence or Piccolomini Palace, the Municipality, and the central square. Therefore Pienza takes its name from Pope Pius II, who died prematurely in 1464, not having time to carry out other works.
Pienza: Renaissance photography
The cathedral of Pienza is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, a church characterized by Franciscan Gothic, harmonized with the Renaissance structure of the sacred building. The Town Hall was the residence of the Priors and has the facade adorned with the coats of arms of the Podesta who lived there. In the Sala del Consiglio you can admire a fresco of the Sienese school of Quattrocento which depicts the Madonna with Child and the patrons of Pienza who are San Vito, San Modesto and San Matteo.
The Bishop's Palace, also known as Palazzo Borgia, is always on the main square of the village and houses the diocesan museum. Piccolomini Palace, next to the cathedral, completes the ensemble of the historic buildings of the magnificent square. Attached to the building there is an enchanting hanging garden overlooking the Val d'Orcia and Monte Amiata.
The palio of spindle cheese
The most famous typical product of Pienza is certainly the cheese. It is a type of pecorino cheese that can be tasted in different variations: delicate, spicy and seasoned. In honor of this delicious product, the people of Pienza celebrate the 'Palio del cacio a spindle', scheduled for the first week of September in the main square of the village. The palio consists in placing a spindle in the center of the square and starting from it concentric circles, of ever greater radius and lower score. The participants of the six districts Pientine have three chances to roll the cheese as close as possible to the spindle and win the prize.
Photo: Pixabay
