Montepulciano

Montepulciano is the main town in the vicinity of the most beautiful part of the province of Tuscany, the Val d'Orcia Valley. Almost every beautiful picture of Tuscany you have seen is within 15-20 kilometers.

We, however, chose to stay near Pienza, it is more convenient.

The city is ancient, it was founded by the Etruscans, according to the legend it was Etruscan king Porsena, famous due to the war with Rome in 507-508 BC. Since the middle of the XVI century the city was not of major strategic importance, but a fortress wall was built and is still exists today.


As in other towns, the main attraction here is the central square of Piazza Grande.




The main building here is the town hall Palazzo Comunale. Its design is traditional for Tuscan cities, similar town hall you can find in Florence.


Nearby stands the city's cathedral.


In the previous photo you can clearly see how the square is sloped, this is done to ensure water runoff and avoid floods.

I liked the well of the Griffins and Lions (Pozzo dei Grifi e Leoni) the most, just because it stands out from the overall architectural ensemble. The lions symbolize Florence and the griffins symbolize Montepulciano.


In addition to the central square, the town has many beautiful streets and even a park. Literally every building has a beautiful courtyard, museum, or wine cellar, so pay attention.








The park is laid out near the Medici Fortress (Fortezza Medicea), which has been destroyed and rebuilt several times and is a reminder of the long struggle between Siena and Florence.






Montepulciano has hosted a number of famous films, the standout of which is the blockbuster The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009). By the way, there is no fountain in the central square, it was put up for the movie.




Getting there: we parked here 43.089707, 11.779748. You can take the bus from Siena (75 minutes, 4/day, Monday - Saturday), Pienza (30 minutes, 8/day), Montalcino (60 minutes, 10/day, change at Torrenien) and Chiusi (hourly).