Historic buildings in Pienza

Renaissance Palaces and Castles

Pienza's centre was rebuilt in the 1460s by Pope Pius II and his architect Bernardo Rossellino. Three palaces frame the main square: the papal Palazzo Piccolomini, the bishop's Palazzo Borgia and the Palazzo Comunale. In the countryside around the town, fortified complexes such as Castello di Spedaletto and the towered Palazzo Massaini show the region's older defensive past.

Renaissance Palaces and Castles — Map

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A

Palazzo Piccolomini

The papal residence of Pius II, begun in 1459 to a design by Bernardo Rossellino, with a three-storey loggia and a hanging garden over the Val d'Orcia.

Vignaccia76 / cc-by-sa-3.0

B

Palazzo Borgia and Diocesan Museum

The former bishop's palace on the main square, now home to the Diocesan Museum of sacred art.

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C

Palazzo Comunale

The former residence of the Priori, a Renaissance town hall with a three-arched loggia and a brick belfry, facing the cathedral.

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D

Castello di Spedaletto

A fortified complex that once served as a refuge for pilgrims on the Via Francigena, with crenellated walls and a gateway decorated with coats of arms.

E

Palazzo Massaini

A hilltop complex with a prominent stone tower, originally defensive and now the centre of a farming estate.

F

Castelluccio

A historic castle and fortified residence in the countryside south-east of Pienza, near La Foce.

Other Lists

Pienza Essentials Historic Churches & Religious Sites Squares and Peaks of Pienza

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