Montepulciano
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Montepulciano is a town and commune in the province of Siena, in Central Tuscany (Italy) on a high limestone ridge. Placed high on top of a hill, Montepulciano is around 2000 ft. above sea level. By car it is 13 km (8 miles) E of Pienza; 67 km (40 miles) SE of Siena; 124 km (74 miles) SE of Florence; 186 km (115 miles) N of Rome.
Montepulciano is a major producer of food and drink. Its wines (especialy the famous Vino Nobile) are drunk throughout the world, and it also sells pork products, cheese, 'pici' pasta (a thick, rough, chewy variant on spaghetti) and honey.
History
Main sights
The main street of Montepulciano stretches for 11.5 kilometers from the Porta al Prato to the Piazza Grande at the top of the hill. The main landmarks include:- The Communal Palace
- Palazzo Tarugi
- The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (late 16th century) It has a simple Mannerist façade with a three-arcade portico. The interior has a single nave, and houses a precious terracotta altar by Andrea della Robbia.
- The Sanctuary of the Madonna of St. Blaise, on the street for Chianciano outside the city. It is a typical 16th century Tuscan edifice, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger on a pre-exixsting ''Pieve', in 1518-1545. It has a circular (central) plan with a large domeover a terrace and a squared tambour. The exterior, with two bell tower, is built in white travertine.
Famous citizens
- Roberto Bellarmino, a Roman Catholic Saint, Cardinal, and Doctor of the Church was born here on October 4, 1542. He is one of the 33 Doctors of the Roman Catholic Church and was active in the Counter-Reformation.
- Agnes of Montepulciano, a Roman Catholic Saint.
- The Florentine classical scholar and poet, as well as one of the revivers of Humanist Latin, Angelo Poliziano was born in Montepulciano on July 14, 1454.
External links
| Abbadia San Salvatore | Asciano | Buonconvento | Casole d'Elsa | Castellina in Chianti | Castelnuovo Berardenga | Castiglione d'Orcia | Cetona | Chianciano Terme | Chiusdino | Chiusi | Colle di Val d'Elsa | Gaiole in Chianti | Montalcino | Montepulciano | Monteriggioni | Monteroni d'Arbia | Monticiano | Murlo | Piancastagnaio | Pienza | Poggibonsi | Radda in Chianti | Radicofani | Radicondoli | Rapolano Terme | San Casciano dei Bagni | San Gimignano | San Giovanni d'Asso | San Quirico d'Orcia | Sarteano | Siena | Sinalunga | Sovicille | Torrita di Siena | Trequanda'' |
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