Pienza
Pienza is a special little place, nestled in the hills of Tuscany. It is the first planned community and a world heritage site. Pope Pius II planned it to be an ideal Renaissance city.
This pope was a charmed son of that prominent Siena banking family, the Piccolomini. There was a time when being a Piccolomini was just as important as being a Medici. I met someone recently who had been taught at an Eastern school by a Piccolomini and it was made clear to the students that they were priviledged to be in such aristocratic company. Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who became Pope Pious, is the best known of all the family. As Popes go, he was one of the best.
Pius was quite a scholar and was influenced by Leon Battista Alberti’s theories on town planning. In 1459 Pious authorized Albeti’s student, Bernado Rossellino, to build a town square, a cathedral and a palazzo. Bishops were also encouraged to build their own summer palaces in Pienza.
The town square is called Piazzo Pio II and the town hall is modeled on Palazzo Vecchio, the Medici home/city hall in Florence.
There is a guided tour of the Pope’s Palazzo, included in the reasonable price of admission. The house is full of the kinds of ghastly objects rich people of that time liked to collect. Our guide got snickers when she pointed out the chair the Pope sat on when receiving visitors. It doubled as his toilet.
The total uselessness today of all the costly brick a brack is a silent comment on man’s obsession with getting and spending. Popes aren’t exempt form this foolish human failing.
The garden and inner courtyard, on the other hand, are just as impressive today as they were during the Renaissance. The view from the Palazzo into the garden and the beautiful Val d’Orcia beyond is worth a side trip to the town.
The cathedral, the town square and the little side streets are a nice day’s exploring. Some of the views are extroidinary. Excellent local cheeses include a goat cheese with truffles, carried in most of the little shops .
If you can walk about ten minutes, see the village’s original parish church, Pieve di Corsignano. It dates from the tenth century and is a wonderful Romanesque building. It is also where the Pope was baptised, he was born here. The church has a tower that was used as shelter by towns people when they were being attacked. Look for carvings above the front and side doors. If the church is not open, you can get a key from the farmhouse behind the church. It is a good idea to tip the family.
Pienza is well worth the time if you have any interest in Renaissance architecture or if you just want a cool mountain town to walk around in and have lunch.
