Three Tuscan Hill Towns: Monteriggioni, San Quirico D'Orcia, Trequanda

[Regions of Italy]

Tuscany includes, among its countless other attractions, hilltop towns galore. Many of them have been praised by poets and bards throughout the centuries and never more so than today when the region seems to have utterly captivated the foreign collective imagination. To discover "unknown" Tuscan hill towns is, therefore, practically impossible, so I have chosen three of my favorites. Hopefully at least one of them will be a revelation for even the most extensively traveled connoisseur of the region.

Monteriggioni, a mere fourteen kilometers from Siena, is the epitome of a fortified hill town. The Sienese founded it in 1203 as a bulwark against arch-rival Florence, then erected its picturesque walls a century later, between 1313 and 1319. The fourteen towers were originally twenty meters high, much taller than today (although seven of them have recently been raised and strengthened). The town numbers all of 82 residents, most of whom live in homes converted from the former military barracks. In one of them, on a dark day in 1302, Dante Alighieri learned the Florentines had condemned him to pay a huge fine and publically apologize for his opposition to the Pope. Without a thought, Dante leapt onto his horse and streaked out of town, heading towards Ravenna. Because he failed to pay up and make up, he was soon condemned to be burned at the stake. He escaped execution, but he never saw Florence, nor Monteriggioni for that matter, again. Despite the unpleasant circumstances surrounding his stay here, he was enchanted by the tiny outpost and immortalized it in his Inferno (XXXI, 40-44), likening its towers to a row of guardian giants.

When you round the last curve of the Via Cassia coming from Siena, Monteriggioni miraculously appears before you. Its perfectly intact walls stand majestically defiant of both enemies and time. They are so well preserved that they appear to be a mirage, too perfect to be real. The walls completely encircle the town, their smooth surface being interrupted only by two gates. The Porta Franca or Romea faces southeast towards Siena; the Porta S. Giovanni faces northwest towards Florence and, in fact, still bears the hinges that supported the drawbridge which faced the eternal enemy. Inside the village, the one and only street dissects the hamlet on its central axis and runs from one gate to the other. Piazza Roma is charming and includes the Gothic-Romanesque Santa Maria Assunta church. But Monteriggioni's true magnificence can only be fully appreciated from the outside, preferably in the early morning light when it appears to hover a few feet off the ground, as in a vision, truly the queen of fortified towns, worthy even of Dante's praise.

San Quirico D'Orcia is another hill town located in the Sienese hinterland, but in the opposite direction of Monteriggioni. Using Siena as your starting point, take the Via Cassia south this time, in the direction of Asciano and eventually Chiusi. You'll pass by strange, almost lunar landscapes along the way. This region, which extends to the south and east of the city, has been nicknamed Crete Senesi (Sienese Clays), because of the sand and clay topsoil that was left when the sea receded from the area thousands of years ago. The sandy clay mixture creates some of the most bizarre landscapes, particularly during the height of summer when the lush green color of the spring and early summer vegetation has given way to blinding yellow and sand colors, reminiscent of the Sahara or Death Valley. Only an occasional casolare (farmhouse), inevitably perched at the top of a hill with perhaps a few characteristic cypress trees standing sentinel around it, disturbs the desert-like solitude.

Situated 409 meters above sea level on the hill which divides the Orcia and Asso Valleys, San Quirico D'Orcia is also of medieval origin. Its walls were enlarged first when Siena gained jurisdiction over the town in 1256, and then at various moments throughout the 1400's. As in Monteriggioni, there were originally fourteen turrets. Its ramparts, however, even if in decent condition, have not weathered nearly as well as Monteriggioni's. What it does have is a magnificent Romanesque church called the Collegiata. It is dedicated (obviously) to St. Quirico, and also to his mother, St. Giulitta. The structure we see today was rebuilt over a pre-existing 6th-century church, re-utilizing some portions of the older structure. In reality, it is better known for its exterior than its interior. Three beautiful portals lead into the church: a Romanesque one on the façade dating from 1080 with a lovely bas relief and sculpted lions; a Gothic one leading into the right transept dating from about 1298; and finally, a superb portal on the right flank of the church decorated with caryatids and more lions, these from the mid-13th century. The exquisite figures on this last portal are attributed to an unknown but talented pupil of Giovanni Pisano. A little further down the street you'll see the remains of a once grandiose Palazzo Chigi, now in sad decline.

The last stop in our tour of Tuscan hill towns is a tiny hamlet which was for centuries considered to be of strategic importance because of its position, but which modern times have relegated to the sidelines. Even though disputed in the past by Guelfs and Ghibellines, by Arezzo and Siena, Trequanda is now difficult to find on all but the most detailed maps. I'd wager that even many seasoned travelers would have trouble locating Trequanda off the top of their heads. You can get there by going to Sinalunga, then following the signs for only a few miles more.

Trequanda is another fortified village, whose origins date back much further than either Monteriggioni's or San Quirico's. Even if what we see today is obviously of medieval character, the village may have already been there in Etruscan times. Several rival theories exist about the origin of the name: one claims that it derives from the Etruscan hero Tarkonte. In any case, its ramparts date from the Middle Ages, just as in Monteriggioni and San Quirico. Only two of the original three gates remain. Besides the lovely church dedicated to Saints Peter and Andrea with its characteristic checkerboard façade, there is no one thing that is particularly spectacular about the hamlet. Everything of common interest faces the central square - the abovementioned church, the square tower with clock dating from 1380, the post office, shops, pharmacy, etc. This is what makes it so special. When you step into the village you will truly have the impression, with the exception of a few vestiges of the 20th century, that the hamlet looks today exactly as it did 300, 400, 500 or even 600 years ago. It's a wonderful step back into time.

by Michael Brouse, Rome

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[Regions of Italy]