Pienza, Renaissance commune in Val d'Orcia, Italy
Pienza is a town at 491 meters elevation in the province of Siena, where streets arrange themselves around a central square. Buildings show pale facades with regular window rows, while arches and arcades shape the townscape.
The settlement carried the name Corsignano until a papal commission in 1459 initiated rebuilding work. Bernardo Rossellino designed the new layout within a few years, coordinating the square and main buildings closely together.
The town center features round fountains carved from pale travertine, while cobblestones curve gently through narrow lanes. Visitors often see locals sitting on benches against shaded walls, chatting with neighbors.
Buses from Siena run several times daily, while drivers park outside the old center and continue on foot. Lanes climb steeply in places, so sturdy shoes help.
The cathedral uses columns from different stone types, with some taken from Roman ruins and others quarried locally. Inside the palazzo, a hanging garden looks out through a loggia onto the rolling hills.
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