Tuscany Hill Towns
We drove through Tuscany in 2004 & 2009 and visited San Gimignano, Volterra, and Montepulciano. Tuscany is one of the wine regions of Italy and has surpurb wines. So while we visited several of the hill towns, we were primarily enjoying Tuscan wines.
San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town near Siena that is famous for its medieval architecture and also known as the Town of Fine Towers. Within the medieval walls, the well-preserved buildings include both Romanesque and Gothic architecture. There were originally 27 towers and their height were an indication of the power of each family; however when the town was conquered by Florence the height of the towers were all made the same. Its hilltop setting and encircling walls form an unforgettable skyline for pictures.
Volterra is another small walled medieval hill town that was an important Etruscan center around 6th century BCE. Some Etruscan structures and artifacts remain including the well-preserved Porta dell'Arco (5th centuries BCE) and Porta Diana gates. The Guarnacci Etruscan Museum is worth visiting with its remarkable bronze statuette "Shadow of the Night", the sculpted effigy of an Etruscan couple in terra cotta, and thousands of funeral urns that date back to the Hellenistic and Archaic periods. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was destroyed and rebuilt after the 1117 CE earthquake. The interior is quite lovely with an amazing ceiling and many side chapels containing frescos, paintings, and terracotta figures. The Chapel of the Deposition has a group of five wooden polychrome figures representing the "Deposition of Christ" completed in 1228 by an unknown Volterran artist.
Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town near Siena. It is well known for its walkable streets and its fine wines. Wine connoisseurs consider wine from Montepulciano (which should not be confused with varietal wine made from the Montepulciano grape) among Italy's best. Some of the main sites include the Palazzo Comunale, the Palazzo Tarugi (which is entirely in travertine) and the 16th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta which has a simple Mannerist outer façade and a lovely terracotta altar.
Read MoreSan Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town near Siena that is famous for its medieval architecture and also known as the Town of Fine Towers. Within the medieval walls, the well-preserved buildings include both Romanesque and Gothic architecture. There were originally 27 towers and their height were an indication of the power of each family; however when the town was conquered by Florence the height of the towers were all made the same. Its hilltop setting and encircling walls form an unforgettable skyline for pictures.
Volterra is another small walled medieval hill town that was an important Etruscan center around 6th century BCE. Some Etruscan structures and artifacts remain including the well-preserved Porta dell'Arco (5th centuries BCE) and Porta Diana gates. The Guarnacci Etruscan Museum is worth visiting with its remarkable bronze statuette "Shadow of the Night", the sculpted effigy of an Etruscan couple in terra cotta, and thousands of funeral urns that date back to the Hellenistic and Archaic periods. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was destroyed and rebuilt after the 1117 CE earthquake. The interior is quite lovely with an amazing ceiling and many side chapels containing frescos, paintings, and terracotta figures. The Chapel of the Deposition has a group of five wooden polychrome figures representing the "Deposition of Christ" completed in 1228 by an unknown Volterran artist.
Montepulciano is a medieval and Renaissance hill town near Siena. It is well known for its walkable streets and its fine wines. Wine connoisseurs consider wine from Montepulciano (which should not be confused with varietal wine made from the Montepulciano grape) among Italy's best. Some of the main sites include the Palazzo Comunale, the Palazzo Tarugi (which is entirely in travertine) and the 16th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta which has a simple Mannerist outer façade and a lovely terracotta altar.
