Chiefly known for its good local 'Vino Nobile' wines, Montepulciano lies to the southeast of Siena, on the summit of one of the hills that separates the Valdichiana from the Val d'Orcia. It is built along a narrow limestone ridge at 605m above sea level. The town is encircled by walls and fortifications designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1511 for Cosimo I, and inside the walls the streets are crammed with Renaissance-style palazzi, churches, restaurants, shops and a fabulous atmosphere. Of Etruscan origin, Montepulciano later became a Roman winter encampment.

Montepulciano has a fortress dating back to the 8th century and medieval palazzi from the 13th century. The main square 'Piazza Grande' is surrounded by magnificent buildings such as the Palazzo Publico, the Cathedral with unfinished façade begun in 1594 from a design by Ippolito Scalza, and several residences by Vignola, Sangallo and Peruzzi.

The pilgrimage Church of the Madonna di San Biagio lies just outside of the town of Montepulciano. Its symmetrical greek-cross plan reflects the High Renaissance drive towards perfection in a combination of squares and circles.
The church was begun by the architect Antonio di Sangallo the Elder in 1518 and is considered one of the first great examples of Cinquecento architecture.

The concept for a centrally planned church obsessed High Renaissance architects like Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Leonardo, Antonio di Sangallo the Elder and the Younger, Bramante, and Michelangelo. This is based on the Vitruvian idea that man, which represents perfection, can fit into both a square and a circle. As man provides the measure for these forms, if we create a space based on a combination of these forms, we are likely to understand that space inherantly. So, many plans for churches in the Cinquecento were based on greek cross plans and tried to combine these perfect shapes. But, many ACTUAL churches do not! Due to the impraticality of not having a nave down which to process, architects and patrons often found the need to give the space a certain directionality by differentiating at least the apse. S. Biagio is in fact one of these cases, but it comes very close to the Renaissance ideal. As you can see in the ground plan, the whole complex except the rounded apse fits into a square that can be, of course, subdivided into smaller squares.
The church as it stands today took about a hundred years to complete, and in fact it was never finished according to plan. You approach it from the side that has a rounded apse. Going around to the right side, this would have been the facade, which was planned to have two identical towers. One tower was completed while the other stands as an odd, incomplete structure. The towers flanking this side would have provided a sense of directional axis towards the apse. The central core of the structure is articulated by three flat facades that appear to be identical; the rounded apse occupies the lower part of a fourth facade that also provides this repetition in design.

The interior is a a beautiful open space that, at certain times of day, is illuminated by dramatic directional light. The sense of symmetry is apparent as one observes the equal vaults on three sides. The interior is entirely decorated in travertine. Architectural elements like engaged columns and Doric or Tuscan pilasters offer repetition and division of space. The arches are punctuated by strongly extruding rosettes. The vocabulary is a specific ancient one that references the Basilica Aemilia in the Roman Forum, as has been observed by Lehmann in 1982

Events to Montepulciano

Il Bruscello
Montepulciano is the unique town which keeps and represents Tuscan folk traditions by "Bruscello": the magic of recollection transforms places and creatures. Etymologically, "Bruscello" is likely to mean "arboscello", as to say tree with leafty branches, planted by the actor who begins his performance. Bruscellantis' companies form in carnival time. They have a leader. They stop in squares, threshing-floors and church-squares. They tell sad stories, scenes of passion, romantic stories of chivalry.
In the territory of Montepulciano and Val di Chiana these companies perform lives of Pia de' Tolomei, Juliet and Romeo, Genoveffa, Ghino di Tacco who dwelled the severe fortress of Radicofani, St. Margaret of Cortona who dwelled Palazzo Contucci in Montepulciano and who was loved by Arsenio Cantucci before her terrible punishments. The poetic test is almost always in Ariosto's octava rima; final clauses in six-line stanzas and hendecasyllabic quatrains. The Bruscello Poliziano takes place each year on August 15th in Piazza Grande. It is the most particular folk performance where each actor gathers and performs all experiences which made him the king of a kingdom which he will not open to the laity after the Bruscello period.

Il Bravio delle botti
In 1372 provisions of "Bravium or Palium" were issued. It was a scarlet drape which was given as a prize to the winner of a horse race. The race took place each year on August 29yh in honour of the patron saint, St. John Decollato. Today the competition has been turn into a race along the main town streets, but no loger with horses but with 80-kilo casks.
They are rolled by "spingitori" (men who push them) representing the 8 quarters. Before the race there is historical procession with more than 200 people wearing XIV-Century costumes. Each quarter is represented by drummers, flag-wavers, ensigns, ladies, knights, capitain, soldiers and a magistrate.