Marciano della Chiana, the smallest town in val di Chiana

Are you on holiday in Montepulciano and would you like to organize a nice one-day trip somewhere around our hotel? Well, Marciano della Chiana is undoubtedly one of the most interesting destinations you should decide to visit.
Marciano della Chiana is a charming town not too far from Montepulciano: a short distance – 30 kilometres – that you can choose to travel on the highway or on a provincial road. If you choose to drive on the not too busy provincial road, you will have the opportunity to enjoy all the uniqueness of the traditional and rural Tuscan landscape around you. Up to you!

Marciano della Chiana, an enchanting hamlet in the heart of Tuscany

Marciano della Chiana is a small town perched on a small hill just 320 meters above sea level. A modest altitude that gives an even more picturesque character to its tiny village. The tourist approaching to Marciano della Chiana from a far distance won’t have any choice but falling in love with its unique fortress that stands out from its town and dominates the surrounding countryside. And, what about sunset? When the sunlight fades away and the sky turns pink and orange and lilac, Marciano della Chiana lights up like a living nativity, offering the tourist a postcard landscape and the perfect romantic background for an unforgettable photo shooting.

What to see in Marciano della Chiana

The fortress

The origins of Marciano della Chiana date back to the Etruscan times, but the village had a considerable population growth during the Roman age. However, the development that led the town to its present characteristics took place during the Lombardic domination.

The charming roquefort that dominates the village dates back to the Lombardic age, whereas the city walls and the defensive towers that surround it were added later, during the Medieval times. The architectural style of the fortress is a good indicator of the use it was conceived for: the Rocca (fortress) was built for a military and defensive purpose, as opposed to the other castles built in the same geographical area, which destination was mainly residential. The defensive use of the fortress is also confirmed by its strategic location, standing out on a hill in the very middle of the provinces of Siena, Arezzo and Florence as well.

Churches

Marciano della Chiana offers its visitors two fine examples of religious architecture:

• The Church of Santa Lucia and San Michele Arcangelo with its baptistery, where you can see the frescoes by Salvi Castellucci, a baroque painter also famous for having decorated the interior of the Cathedral of Arezzo;
• The Church of Santo Stefano and Andrea, where in which interior you can see the Madonna and Child with Saints Giacomo and Cristoforo by Bartolomeo della Gatta, religious, but also painter and artist of the Italian Middle Ages. Sant’Andrea is also the patron saint of Marciano della Chiana, whose celebrations take place every year on November 30th.

Credits preview photo: Edisonblus [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]