La Bandita

EVERYDAY SHOP SIGNS

by RoyJava

Special cultural note: downtown Pienza in Tuscany.
The merchants of Pienza seem to be in constant competition for creating and presenting the upmost attractive storefront. That always shows some great and original designs downtown, unique to its character and ...

... great for modelling, for the owners loved the models moving in front of their stores ...

The Cathedral

by Cristian_Uluru

The cathedral of Pienza was built between 1459 and 1462 on the site of the ancient Romanesque parish church of Saint Mary. The Renaissance building takes sprout on the facade from the jobs of the architect Leon Battista Alberti: it is done in travertino, opened by three portals and divided in three parts by breadths flanked with two orders of columns. In the middle of the facade there is the rose window and the coat of arms of the pope Pio II.

Palazzo Piccolomini: the internal courtyard

by Cristian_Uluru

Inside the building there is a beautiful square courtyard encircled by arcades on columns with Corinthian capitals. On the walls there are nice decorations with the coat of arms of Pio II. Inside the building you can see many beautiful furniture and pictures and thanks the guided tour you can know more about the family Piccolomini.

Pienza

by sue_stone

Pienza is a small Tuscan village perched on a hill overlooking the rolling landscape of the Val d'Orcia. This tiny walled town is refreshingly not overrun with big tourist groups and is quiet enough to lose yourself to the stunning scenery surrounding it.

There is not a lot to see here, it is more about its location in one of the most stunning parts of Tuscany. It is a place to stop and sample the creamy, locally made Pecorino cheese and perhaps a glass or Brunello produced in nearby Montalcino.

Take a stroll along the town walls, enjoy the colours of Tuscany and plot your return.

Monastery of Sant'Anna in Camprena

by piccolina

"The English Patient"

Few years ago the film "The English Patient" was made in this place...It is one of my favourite movies, may be cause i loved so much the site where the movie was played..or may be cause the story....

"The Monastery"

Along roads lined with cypresses , like in all the most famous Tuscany postacards, we approach to the Monastery of Sant'Anna in Camprena. The powerful construction of the Monastery is on top of the hill

This atmospheric 15th century former monastery, now run as tourist accomodation offers splendid views over the Val d'Orcia.

In this Olivetan monastery of notable artistic interest, enchanting is the refectory frescoed by Giovanni Antonio Bazzi (known as Sodoma)Unfotunely i've not pic of the paint..