Tuscany Farmhouses
Tuscany travel resources:Montepulciano
It is surrounded by medieval walls. Montepulciano was already inhabited in Etruscan age. A legend says that it was founded by Porsenna, the king of Chiusi, in the VI century b.C. It is known like " castrum " with the name of Politiano in 715. Montepulciano became independent in 1208.
It was conquered by Sienesi in 1260, and by Florence in 1390. representing for three centuries an enclave in the Sienese territory. The Renaissance characteristics are typical of the village, made by architects such as: Michelozzo, Antonio da Sangallo, Baldassarre Peruzzi and others.
The first palace that you see, is Avignonesi palace built by Vignola, in front of it there is the Ercolani's farm. Then you find the Cocconi palace, built by Antonio da Sangallo, and the Pulcinella's Tower made in 1524, crowned by a clock of metal which strike the hour. In front of it there is the church of Sant'Agostino built by Michelozzo. Palazzo Cervini was drawn by Antonio da Sangallo. Going on there is the supposed house of Poliziano. The church of Santa Maria dei Servi has a Gothic façade , and it houses the picture which represents "The Virgin and the Child" made by a pupil of Duccio di Buoninsegna. The fortress was built in Renaissance age and rearranged in neoclassical shapes. Then you arrive to the harmonious "Grande "square, drawn by Michelozzo; here there is the communal palace, a building dating back to the XIV-XV century. It has a tower and the upper story was surrounded by a Guelph crown which remember the Palazzo Vecchio of Florence. The façade was probably made in 1440 by Michelozzo .
A short flight of steps lead to the Cathedral which has an unfinished façade. It was started in 1592 by Ippolito Scalza and it was finished after some decades.
Its external part is a wonderful "involucre" in mannerism-style, inside it houses a lot of works of art such as: a triptych dating back to the XV century which represents "l'Assunzione di Taddeo" made by Bartolo, it is located on the altar; "the lying statue of Bartolomeo Aragazzi" who was the secretary of the Pope Martino V; a part of the funeral monument made by Michelozzo and then it was divided.
In the same square there is the Nobili-Tarugi palace built by Antonio da Sangallo, it has a deep lodge at the ground floor, the short side of the façade is made of "travertine" a type of stone, and it is in front of the Renaissance Pozzo de'Grifi e de'Leoni of 1520, on which there is the Medici's coat of arms. The plan of the Contucci palace was drawn by the same architect, it was started in 1519 and finished after some years by Baldassarre Peruzzi.
Very important is the Civic Museum, which houses works of art of Tuscany school dating from the XIII to the XVI century such as : "S.Francesco di Margaritone d'Arezzo" of the second half of the XIII century; a "Virgin with Child" made by a pupil of Diccio da Buoninsegna and the "Nativity of Jesus" of Girolamo Benvenuto and other pictures.