This is the second of a series of three posts on the small villages we visited in Tuscany, Italy. The first post about Castellina in Chianti is here.
We took a 2-week long driving tour from Lausanne, Switzerland to Tuscany by way of Turin (Torino), the Italian Riviera (Genoa, Cinque Terre), and Florence. Before we turned around, we explored several Tuscan villages. If you like to join us on this epic road trip from the beginning in Switzerland, click here. We started this Tuscany portion of the trip from Firenze, click here to follow us starting from Florence.
Nestled on a small hill in the heart of Tuscany, Monteriggioni is a medieval walled village that is located just 15 kilometers from Siena and around 50 kilometers from Florence.
There was a designated parking area just outside the wall, and we walked up to the village.
Monteriggioni offers an enchanting glimpse into Tuscany’s past, with panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards, olive groves, and rolling hills.
As mentioned in our previous post (click here), from the 12th to mid-16th century, the Republic of Florence and Republic of Siena. The 14th century saw continued fighting, particularly as Florence increasingly aligned itself with the Pope and sought to expand its territory in Tuscany.
<< View towards Florence from Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni was founded in the early 13th century by the Sienese Republic as a defensive outpost. Its position atop a hill gave it strategic importance. The fortress played a key role in several battles during the Italian Wars and was only captured by Florence in 1554, not by a siege but a betrayal.
The most remarkable feature of Monteriggioni is its well-preserved medieval walls, which stretch for 570 meters and encompass the town with 14 towers.
The Sienese lost a major battle to the Florentines in 1554 led by Cosmo I de’ Medici. Siena eventually fell in 1555 after a 15-month siege. Cosmo I de’ Medici was powerful and known for erecting many monuments in Florence, including the establishment of the Uffizi Gallery (see our earlier post here and here).
Monteriggioni retains much of its medieval character, with cobbled streets, stone buildings, and a central square, Piazza Roma, that remains the heart of the town.
The square is flanked by traditional homes and the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Assunta, which dates back to the 13th century.
Monteriggioni’s gates, Porta Romana (facing Rome) and …
Porta Fiorentina (facing Florence) still stand as they did centuries ago.
Though small, with a population of less than 50 residents within the walls, Monteriggioni has become a popular destination for travelers. We walked through the small village in less than 30 minutes, but did not bother to climb and walk along the walls.
Monteriggioni is also part of the Via Francigena, the ancient 3000-km pilgrimage route leading from Canterbury in England to Rome, which is celebrating its 30 years in 2024 as a cultural route of the Council of Europe.