Monteriggioni
FROM THE TOP OF A GENTLE HILL NEAR SIENA, THIS SPLENDID MEDIEVAL VILLAGE TRANSPORTS YOU INTO THE DISTANT PAST.
Monteriggioni shines from the top of a hill with its stone crown. One of the oldest, most memorable and recognizable villages in all of Italy, it seems that it has been inhabited since the eighth century BC. A true mirage for those who want to dive into the Middle Ages, the town is even mentioned by the Supreme Poet Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy: Inferno, Canto XXXI.
It’s a place that has remained incredibly intact as if time has never passed, even though it was built by the Sienese between 1213 and 1219 for defensive purposes. The village dominates the territory from the top of a hill overlooking the Via Cassia, a strategic position from which to control the Valdelsa territory.
Monteriggioni has obtained the Orange Flag quality mark given by the Touring Club.
The greatest point of interest is certainly Monteriggioni Castle, founded in the 1220s by the Republic of Siena with the aim of creating a defensive outpost against Florence. Monteriggioni preserves most of the 13th century structures, such as the city walls that embrace the top of the hill for a length of about 570 meters. It’s also equipped with 14 imposing towers that allow you to enjoy the spectacular panorama of Siena.
Inside the walls, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta overlooks the large square. Here, you can find the best preserved traces of the town’s medieval origins.
Don’t miss the “Monteriggioni in Arme” educational route which features faithful reproductions of medieval and Renaissance weapons and armor.
