Monticiano, medieval village in Tuscany
Monticiano is a very old village which dates back to the 12th century. Originally a castle property of the Bishop of Volterra, it later came under the domination of Siena. The remains of the castle are still visible and the little streets of the village are very picturesque. The village has two churches, the Romanesque church of Sant'Agostino of the late 13th century, with baroque interiors, and the older parish, the church of San Giusto and San Clemente, of the 12th century, with a neat stone façade.
The village is located in a beautiful area, in the heart of a valley between the river Merse and the river Farma, approximately 30km from Siena, 100km from Florence and 150km from Pisa. It has less than 1500 inhabitants and all the essential services are available in town (pharmacy, clinics, post office, banks, shops, restaurants and bars). The village will soon have a public swimming pool right by Casa Gigliola: it is scheduled to open at the beginning of 2007. It has children's playgrounds, horseback riding facilities and walking trails.
The village and its surroundings, despite being very conveniently located at a crossroad between the Maremma and Siena, are still an off-the-beaten path destination. For this reason, they make for a perfect location to discover authentic Tuscany far from the crowds.
The oldest part of the village is located on a hilltop, within the remains of the ancient walls. From the top of the hill the view over the valley of the river Merse is breathtaking. The atmosphere among the walls of the village is definitely medieval: stone houses, small parish churches, narrow streets. The origins of the village are celebrated every year in October, when the Palio dei Ciuchi, a donkey race in medieval costumes, brings the past back to life.
Going back in time is very easy in this part of Tuscany: the Abbey of San Galgano with the legendary sword in the stone, the near village of San Lorenzo a Merse with its ancient castle and its Romanesque church, the hamlet of Castello di Tocchi, the ruins of the Castellaccio, of Monte Quoio and Renna make this journey in time very easy.
