Bagni di Lucca and Beyond

We have driven past San Quirico d’Orcia many times on our way to Pienza, but have never stopped there. We went for one of our favourite drives through the rolling hills of Tuscany recently and decided to visit San Quirico for a change.

The Val d’Orcia is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in the world and was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004, the first rural site to receive this recognition. San Quirico is one of 12 towns in the area.

The town has Etruscan origins but its earliest written records date form 712AD. From the 11th century it grew in importance partly because of its situation on the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrim road to Rome. It has some of the most noteworthy examples of Medieval architecture in the province of Siena.

As well as all of that, it is gorgeous! We can’t believe we have bypassed it for so long.

Driving towards San Quirico….I was a passenger.

We found a car park below the town and wandered up, completely entranced by this lovely town.

We first came upon a tiny Romanesque church, Santa Maria Assunta, with a lovely rose garden behind it. The church is mentioned in records from 1014. Its current incarnation dates from the 12th century. The gabled bell tower and vestry are original.

The portal is embellished with decorations that may originate from another church, the Abbazia di San Antonio.

I was most taken with the decoration inside.

The rose garden behind the church is quite new. The roses were not in bloom for our visit.

The rose garden leads to the  Horti Leonini, gardens created around 1575 by Diomede Leoni during work to restore the village walls damaged in the war between Florence and Siena. It is a late Renaissance garden independent from any house, created for travellers, especially the nobility…a lovely place to rest on pilgrim walks.

The sculpture in the lower garden is of Cosimo III dei Medici by Giuseppe Mazzuoli from Siena, commissioned in 1688.

The town was bustling the day we were there, despite the patchy weather. It was a busy spring day and the many shops were open and full of people. There are several very good wine shops, the area is known for its excellent wine, including Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montalcino.

Pecorino cheese and olive oil are also produced in the area and there are several places to try and buy these.

In the main square is the church dedicated to San Francesco.

The most interesting church is Santi Quirico and Giulitta, a magnificent example of Romanesque style. It is mentioned in the 8th century but its current architectural appearance dates from the 13th and 14th century.

It has 3 doorways, or portals. I will begin with the plain one.

The one beside it has 2 double lancet windows and a portal in the Lombard style, surmounted by a triangular vestibule resting on 2 caryatids supported by 2 lions, dating from possibly the second half of the 13th century.

The front of the church has decorative arches and a Gothic style Rose Window. The 12th century portal’s vestibule is supported by columns resting on 2 lionesses. The architrave is decorated with a carved bass relief with 2 fighting monsters.

I would like the candle holder hanging beside the church.

We wandered off the main streets and found some quiet corners.

We came to what appeared to be part of the old walls surrounding the town, and the lovely entrance, Porta a Cappuccini, dating from the 15th century.

Many of the restaurants along the main street were full so we wandered up a couple of side streets before we found Trattoria Toscana…lucky us! The food was delicious and the setting lovely.

San Quirico d’Orcia will become a regular destination for us.