Sansepolcro, Medieval commune in eastern Tuscany, Italy
Sansepolcro is a commune in eastern Tuscany near the border with Umbria and Le Marche, sitting at 330 meters elevation along the upper Tiber river. The old town shows stone buildings from the medieval and Renaissance periods arranged around a central square with the cathedral.
In the 11th century, two pilgrims returning from Jerusalem founded a monastery here with a stone from the Holy Sepulchre. This religious settlement grew into a medieval commune that later came under Florentine rule and became home to artists like Piero della Francesca.
The name Sansepolcro derives from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which the medieval founders wanted to bring here. Today, this religious past appears in street names and church facades that shape the town center.
The main street Via XX Settembre runs through the center and connects shops, restaurants and cafes. The civic museum sits near the central square and is easy to reach on foot.
Every September the Palio della Balestra takes place, a traditional crossbow competition against participants from the neighboring town of Gubbio. The Resurrection fresco by Piero della Francesca in the civic museum was protected by British forces during the Second World War.
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