Castiglione d'Orcia

Castiglion d’Orcia is a township in the province of Siena with 2.505 inhabitants. Situated in the center of the Val d’Orcia, not so far from Cassia, the main road, on top of a hill, a branch of the northern slope of Mount Amiata, on the side of the valley, it also includes the fractions of Rocca d’Orcia, a medieval village situated on an impervious, rocky hill, over which rises the Rocca di Tentennano (or Tintinnano), and Bagni San Filippo, a thermal baths area. A small agricultural and artisan center, famous since 714, in the XI century was owned by the Cathedral of San Salvatore. In the middle of the XI century, it passed to the Tignosi family, vassals of the Aldobrandeschi family , changing its name to Petra. In 1251, it was yielded to Siena, at the time when the Sienese township had reached the maximum of its economic and military potential and was becoming the capital of the Ghibellines. In 1252 , it became independent, but its independence lasted at maximum, one century. In 1274 , it became part of the County of Santa Fiora, due to the division of the properties of the Aldobrandeschi family. Then it passed to the Salimbeni family. Until 1419, it was at the center of political and military quarrels between Siena and the Salimbeni family , due to its strategic position, that made it an almost impregnable defense area. Later on , Castiglione passed to the Florentines, that in 1605, entrusted it to the noble Riario family from Bologna. Situated in the center of the Val d’Orcia, not far from the main road Cassia, on top of a hill, north of Mount Amiata, stands the tower of the Rocca of Tentennano . It’s the monument , most largely known, inside the territory of the township of Castiglion d’ Orcia, even though the Rocca Aldobrandesca , that faces the Rocca of Tentennano , doesn’t lack in importance. Very interesting , artistically speaking, are: the Piazza il Vecchietta, paved with rough stones, where stands the Town hall, inside which we can view a fresco executed by Sienese painters , the church of Santa Maria Maddalena and the chapel of Saint Stefano and Saint Degna. Among the places of worship the following are worth visiting: the church and the cave of Saint Filippo Benizi, the church of Saint Biagio, the church of the Company of Saint John the Baptist, the church of the Madonna delle Querce, the church of the Madonna delle Grazie di Manno, the church of Saint Sebastian, the church of Saint Simeone, and the Hermitage of Vivo with the chapel of Saint Marcello and the Oratory of Saint Bartolomeo. Many are the fortresses and the castles that characterize the area of Castiglione. As a matter of fact they appear as a phenomena strictly connected to the presence of the Via Francigena, whose origin , at least in this area doesn’t seem to go beyond the High Middle Ages. Worth visiting are also other suggestive inhabited centers as Ripa, Campiglia and Vivo d’Orcia, where one can find churches and magnificent palaces, among which the ancient Hermitage Camaldolese of Contea and the dwelling of Gallina stand out.