MONTERIGGIONI

DI TORRI SI CORONA

MONTERIGGIONI

Overlooking a gentle hill from which it dominates the surrounding vineyards or olive groves, Monteriggioni is unique and suggestive. Dante in the XXXI ° Canto dell’Inferno already offers us a first and for years unique description of the Castle of Monteriggioni, of the time in which he saw it for the first time in 1302. A singular castle in the history of this land, born from scratch by the will of the Sienese Republic which took charge of both its construction and its population as a defensive outpost against its rival Florence. A walled epigraph, still visible today at the entrance of the Romea door, recalls the date of foundation dating back to 1213. Unique to the eye and with a circular shape bounded by mighty walls, the castle is surrounded by fourteen quadrilateral towers partially offset, with a main road axis that crosses the small village thanks to only two doors, one for entry and one for exit. Porta San Giovanni in the direction of Florence, once protected by a ravelin and Porta Romea, towards Siena with a drawbridge. Today it is an evocative and sparkling village that offers restaurants, bars, shops and various accommodation opportunities from spring to autumn, where you can live and breathe the rurality of the place and time it brings back. In winter, essential services remain open and people continue to live almost as they did centuries ago.

WHAT TO SEE

The life of Monteriggioni has been defended since 1300 by mighty circular walls and fourteen quadrilateral towers. Inside the walls there is a central square, the beating heart of the village, overlooked by the Roman-Gothic Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built on a single nave and quadrangular apse with cross vaults in perfect Gothic style. The meadows and gardens arranged around the square, once fundamental for the subsistence during the sieges, are curious. Do not miss the walk on the walls, an old walkway on the walls of the village, during which it is possible to enjoy splendid views and which can be accessed from Piazza Roma. Also in Piazza Roma is the “Monteriggioni in Arme” Museum, where you can see a cross-section of some military objects used from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Faithful reproductions of weapons and armor of the time, alongside accurate models illustrating the means and techniques of siege used over time, the Museum offers many elements to reconstruct the history of the village, with intuitive explanatory panels and dedicated rooms that facilitate understanding.

One of the best known attractions takes place in July, when the medieval spirit of the village takes over with the “Monteriggioni di Torri si Corona” Festival. An event that lasts two weekends, during which the small town of Monteriggioni welcomes and sees artists, jugglers, acrobats, merchants and artisans parading, bringing back the hands of time to the Middle Ages.