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Montepulciano is built along a narrow limestone ridge at 605 m above sea level. A long, winding street called the Corso climbs up to the main square, which crowns the summit of the hill. The town is encircled by walls and fortifications designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1511 for Cosimo I. Inside the walls, the streets are crammed with Renaissance-style palazzi and churches, but the town is chiefly known for its "Vino Nobile" wines.
Arriving at Montepulciano after having passed round the top of the hill along the beautiful tree-lined street and past Poggiofanti Gardens, you come to the Church of St. Agnes, the patron saint of Montepulciano, who died in 1317. In its modern facade (1926) there is a Gothic portal. The interior of the church was renovated in the 18 C, the nave mostly in the XVII century. Many art works in the church date back to this period, among them the monument where St. Agnes's body rests. Montepulciano - Via RomaFollowing the avenue, you reach Porta al Prato where the Via Roma starts. Following Via Roma, you reach a little square where the "Marzocco", the symbol of Florence's authority, stands on a column. This lion replaced the "She-wolf", the symbol of of Siena, in 1511 and is the work of the sculptor, Sarrocchi (1856). In front of the column is the Palazzo Avignonesi which is attributed to Vignola and dates back to the 16 C. Its style is pure late-Renaissance. Close to the Palazzo Avignonesi stands the Baroque Church of St. Bernard and in front of the Palazzo Avignonesi there is the late-Renaissance Palazzo Tarugi. Its lower level is characterized by ashlar-work. This building is also attributed to Vignola. Other Renaissance palaces bordering the Via Roma are: Palazzo Cocconi-Del Pecora, designed by Antonio da Sangallo, and Palazzo Buccelli with Etruscan cinerary urns and tablets with Etruscan and Latin inscriptions displayed at its base.
Church of St. Augustine
Be sure to visit the Church of St. Augustine, one of the most beautiful and interesting buildings in Montepulciano. Its facade was designed by
Michelozzo Michelozzi (1396-1472) in the first
decade of the 15 C. As Brunelleschi's disciple and collaborator, as
an architect, and Donatello's disciple as a sculptor, the artist used simple and elegant Renaissance forms in the lower level. The portal
has a lunette placed in the upper level and on its top an irregular tympanum stands between two thin and pointed towers like
flames. They represent Gothic features which recur in the Gothic niches of the upper level.
It is possible that the remaining part of the facade was completed by another architect who
adopted Renaissance forms. The inside was rebuilt in the 18 C and the original design was transformed. Inside, you can admire works by Barocci, Allori, Lorenzo di Credi. On the high altar there is a wooden
crucifix attributed to Donatello. Continue downwards
Going downwards, on the left, you reach Palazzo Cappelli with frescoes by F. Zuccari at the entrance. Piazza Grande of MontepulcianoOn the right of the church, take the street which goes around the Fortress and comes out in Piazza Grande. This is the ideal and monumental centre of Montepulciano. It is one of the most beautiful squares of the minor towns of Tuscany, and preserves in silence recollections of past magnificence and high civilization. The square is bordered by important buildings: the Cathedral, with its unfinished facade; on the left, the unfinished Bell Tower dating back to the second half of the 15 C. Montepulciano - il Duomo
Where the
Cathedral stands today, there was an ancient parish church which came to be considered
to be inadequate and bare when beautiful buildings were built in Piazza Grande and the nearby streets. In 1583 the ancient sacristy began being pulled down and, after
much debate, Bartolomeo Ammannati was asked to provide a new design which was ready in 1588. However, some years passed before
work began. Meanwhile, Ammannati died. In 1593 Ippolito Scalza, a sculptor and architect of
Orvieto, was
employed. He adjusted the design and most probably completely rearranged the plan. In 1594,
construction began and in 1680 the church was consecrated. However, the facade was never finished.
Montepulciano Palazzo Comunale
The Town Hall with its beautiful central tower dates back to the 16 C and
brings to mind the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. It is a simple building with Guelph merlons and solid corbels. In the lower part, the ashlar-work is irregular and rough,
in contrast to the openings of
the rectangular windows which are present in the upper level in a regular rhythm. From the tower you can admire a beautiful panorama during clear and bright days. The Church of the Madonna di San Biagio
After having visited the town, go next to the church of the Madonna di San Biagio
designed by Antonio di Francesco Giamberti, known as Antonio da Sangallo the
Elder, and consecrated by Pope Clement VII in 1529. It rises in open
country below the city walls and was built on the remains of the ancient parish church of St. Blaise where, according to tradition,
a painting of Our Lady was seen moving her eyes.
It presents a Greek-cross plan
surmounted by a dome and with four equal wings. In the south wing there is a semicircular
sacristy. On both sides of the northern wing, there are bell towers, one of which is unfinished. All the wings
display a Doric lower level with metopes and triglyphs as a seal. The upper level has an architrave and is
surmounted by a tympanum. Simple decorations adorn classical portals and windows. The dome stands on a tambour divided by Ionic pilaster strips
alternating with niches. It ends with a narrow and elegant lantern. Inside, there
few decorations other than the rhythm of large arches and classical ornamental elements, such as tympanums, metopes, triglyphs and niches with their altars in harmony ending with
the narrow dome illuminated by the lantern. The big high altar is by Albertini (1584). Frescoes representing the
Transition, the Assumption and the Coronation of Our Lady are attributed to Zuccari
(16 C). In front of the church there is the Plebiscite or the Rectory of St. Blaise. The beautiful well with its curved line is
similar to the well in Piazza Grande. The legend of the foundation of MontepulcianoIn keeping with its past civilization, Montepulciano has a founding legend. In fact, the town is said to originate with a noble who withdrew from Chiusi during the first barbaric invasions. He dwelt on this splendid hill which took the name "Mons Politus e Polictus" - the Mount of the Noble. The common people of Chiusi went to Città dell Pieve which, as a result, took the name "Civitas Plebis". The more important version of the founding legend is that Larte Porsena, the lucumon of Chiusi (Charmas) founded the village or that it was built after an hypothetical destruction of Chiusi in the times of Papiro Carbone and Silla. History of Montepulciano
On the Hill of Poliziano, there was a temple dedicated to Mercury from
which it took the name Mons Mercurius. The presence of many Etruscan remains
indicates that Montepulciano's outskirts have been inhabited since that period. However, according to some scholars, the fact that the temple which was set up
on the location of the present Fortress and which was dedicated to St. Donatus in 361
implies that this place was not inhabited during the Roman period. It
was possibly not inhabited until the 6 C when the population of Chiusi
arrived, having been put to flight by barbarian invasions. They first
settled in the area known as Collazzi. Evidence for the existence of this town appeared for the first time in a document of 715 where it is clearly named as "Mons Politianus". Montepulciano was given the title of "imperial town" by Otto I. It was always
the subject of contention among
Florence,
Siena,
Perugia
and
Orvieto, even
when the town enjoy independence and autonomy.
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