La montagnola senese extends in the districts of Siena, Monteriggioni, Sovicille and Casole d'Elsa, but for the most part it is located in the district of Sovicille.

The area

Montagnola extends to the south of Siena and corresponds to the area that borders on the Maremma. It is characterized by woods, cultivated fields of cereals and pastures and the Merse River that represents its main resource. Since mediaeval times it has been a busy thoroughfare of traffic and commerce towards the territories in Maremma that were in the control of the Republic of Siena: the town of Franco di Paganico and the port of Talamone.

Major development took place during the XI and XIV centuries with the arrival in the area of the Cistercian order and the construction of the majestic abbey of San Galgano in 1224.

The Cistercian monks, expert architects but also notable administrators, played a significant role, not only in the development of the area, but also in the construction of the Duomo and the administration of Siena. Some of the monks reapplied the role of Cardinal-Camerlengo (bursar): a figure entrusted with the responsibility of managing public funds and the establishment of an accounts register in the council.

Some of the marble used for the construction of the Duomo originates from the Montagnola Senese where yellow marble was found in the quarries of Montarrenti and green marble from Vallerano.

Architecture and landscape

In the Commentari, Enea Silvio Piccolomini praises the landscape of Montagnola claiming that it was a spectacle of inexpressible beauty. The area is also characterized by an architectural heritage of notable interest consisting of numerous significant constructions situated along the roads of the Maremma, including the villages situated at the Ponte allo Spino and Rosia that have extraordinary examples of Romanic bell towers and the Abbey at Santa Mustiola and Torri with its magnificent cloister, the hermitages of Lecceto and San Leonardo al Lago, Santa Lucia, hidden within a wood, the castles of Belcaro, Chiocciola and Monteriggioni and the villas (the most impressive of which belonged to the Chigi family), such as, the Volte Alte designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini and completed by Baldassarre Peruzzi in 1505. The area of Montagnola also includes the town of Cetinale, the birthplace of Fabio Chigi (later elected Pope Alessandro VII in 1655) and Ancaiano where cardinal Flavio erected the villa and park designed by Carlo Fontana in 1680.

During the XII-XIII century several churches were built, among which the parish church of Pernina, Molli, S.Giusto a Valli, San Lorenzo martire, S.Maria di Ponte allo Spino, the parish church of Rosia and San Lorenzo martire. In the same period some towers (Palazzone di Sovicille and Palazzaccio di Toiano), castles (Celsa, Montarrenti, Cerreto Selva e Palazzo al Piano) were built. Several ancient villages and churches are really charming. Among the first ones there is the XII century white fortress of Monteriggioni, with its boundary wall reinforced with 14 square towers. Among the second ones: the wonderful parish churches of Radicondoli, Ponte allo Spino in Sovicille, San Giovanni in Rosia, the Augustinian hermitage of Lecceto, and finally the original complex of Abbadia Isola, a medieval village built in 1001 around the Cistercian Abbey of San Salvatore. In the area of Montagnola Senese there are several buildings and other structures that are worth to be visited.

Ampugnano - village that rises near the airport. The buildings still have their ancient medieval structure; a charming small church, the well in the main square and the one behind the church remind the visitor of the old way of living.

Ancaiano - this place was already inhabited in the first period of the Bronze Age. The existing church is dedicated to San Bartolomeo and it was built in Renaissance-style in 1660, thanks to Pope Alessandro VII Chigi. The church is aisless, it is on the plan of a Latin cross and at the end there is an apse with projecting transept.

Capraia - the castle of Capraia stands upon a craggy hill. The Ardengheschi Family had this castle built in order to protect their estate, when Siena had their previous castle of Orgia destroyed. Rumors said that it was impregnable because of its three boundary walls and because it stands upon a rocky hill. In 1100-1250 the Republic of Siena and the Ardengheschi Family contended this castle, then several owners succeded, till the last noble family that arrived here on the 24th September 1554; all the Family members were slain together with all the inhabitants of the village by the Marquis of Marignano's troops. The Marquis had an agreement with the Medici Family, according to which he had besieged Siena, that was nearly surrendering. Nowadays it is possible to see the tower that has been recently restored by the current owners.

Malignano - Some documents written before the year 1000 mention the castle of Malignano. There is an oratory dedicated to the Archangel Michael; in this place the Ardengheschis and the Republic of Siena subscribed some agreements. In 1259 the village was burnt and destroyed by the Florentine troops.

Montarrenti - the charming castle stands upon a craggy hill (345 m. / 1132 ft. high); the first informations about the castle date back to 1156.

Palazzaccio - ancient fortified building of the Republic of Siena. In 1333 the village was burnt by the troops of Pisa; it is still possible to see the damages, as the building has never been cleaned nor rebuilt.

Palazzo al Piano - it has Medieval origins and stands at a height of about 430 m. / 1416 ft.

Palazzaccio - ancient fortified building of the Republic of Siena. In 1333 the village was burnt by the troops of Pisa; it is still possible to see the damages, as the building has never been cleaned nor rebuilt.

Palazzo al Piano - it has Medieval origins and stands at a height of about 430 m. / 1416 ft.

Personata - this small deconsecrated church, dedicated to Santa Margherita, has ancient origins, probably Etruscan origins, but the first informations date back to the XIII century.

The Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista, better known as the Pieve di ponte allo Spino, rises in the center of Rosia. The most archaic element is the Lombard-influenced bell tower that displays a succession of single, double, triple, and four-light windows placed in four orders. It has an elegant fagade with limestone ashlars, with three steps leading to a door, surmounted by a round arch and three single-light windows. A 14th-century, prism-shaped baptismal font is found inside, with the Baptism of Christ depicted on the front of it, as well as a 15th-century Madonna Enthroned with Child and Saints Sebastian and Anthony the Abbot by Guidoccio Cozzarelli.

Sovicille, Pieve di San Giovanni Battista, better known as the Pieve di Ponte allo Spino

Torri - small Medieval village, where the Abbey of Santa Mustiola is, which was built in the XII century and has a wonderful cloister.

The small villages of Tonni, Toiano, Tegoia and Abbadia Isola are really charming: they have stayed as they were, and here time seems to have stopped.