Pienza is a small village in the Val d'Orcia in southern Tuscany. Set high atop a hill, overlooking the Orcia Valley, it has extraordinary views, and is often known as the "ideal Renaissance city”.
The creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, the town was his birthplace, originally called Corsignano. He transformed it into his idea of a Utopian city, what would eventually come to be known as Pienza. If you want to wander the streets of an ideal town for yourself find a luxury villa in Pienza!
The Papal Palace, or Palazzo Piccolomini, is located to the right of the Duomo has a large loggia with hanging garden from which there are breathtaking views across the Val d'Orcia Valley. This is the highlight of the town, the garden in particular.
The creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, the town was his birthplace, originally called Corsignano. He transformed it into his idea of a Utopian city, what would eventually come to be known as Pienza. If you want to wander the streets of an ideal town for yourself find a luxury villa in Pienza!
The Papal Palace, or Palazzo Piccolomini, is located to the right of the Duomo has a large loggia with hanging garden from which there are breathtaking views across the Val d'Orcia Valley. This is the highlight of the town, the garden in particular.
Inspired by Leon Battista Alberti’s Palazzo Rucellai in Florence, the palace is built on a square plan and over three floors. The façade is emblazoned with the family crest in stone and apostolic emblems in gold and silver while the interior houses a small, rectangular courtyard, with loggia and garden at the centre. The palace was actually used for filming scenes of Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet and it's easy to see why. It is a romantic and incredibly beautiful spot.
The Piccolomini Gardens, are the first “hanging gardens” of the Renaissance, and an Italianate garden almost without equal. Like almost all Renaissance villas, the palazzo aims to integrate the man-made structure of the building into Nature and the landscape, by means of its formal garden.
On entering the main door of the palazzo, one immediately spots the central doorway across the porticoed courtyard, through which there is a glimpse of green and an impression of vast sunlit space beyond.
The Piccolomini Gardens, are the first “hanging gardens” of the Renaissance, and an Italianate garden almost without equal. Like almost all Renaissance villas, the palazzo aims to integrate the man-made structure of the building into Nature and the landscape, by means of its formal garden.
On entering the main door of the palazzo, one immediately spots the central doorway across the porticoed courtyard, through which there is a glimpse of green and an impression of vast sunlit space beyond.
The whole of the length of the rear of the palazzo is occupied by a triple loggia that overlooks a small hanging garden and the Val d’Orcia and Mount Amiata beyond. One of the best, and most unique aspects of the garden is that the original garden design of 500 years ago, and its furniture, have survived almost untouched over the years.
To get a true experience of a Renaissance garden there is nowhere better in all of Tuscany than the Piccolomini Gardens.
To get a true experience of a Renaissance garden there is nowhere better in all of Tuscany than the Piccolomini Gardens.
Photo credits
picture 1: Quinok / CC BY-SA 4.0;
picture 3: Sailko / CC BY-SA 2.0
picture 1: Quinok / CC BY-SA 4.0;
picture 3: Sailko / CC BY-SA 2.0
