Santa Maria a Monte

In the heart of Tuscany lies the small town of Santa Maria a Monte; its territory continued to occupy a prominent role and position even after the Roman era, remaining disputed between the Lombard policies and the Tuscan lordships, passing through the influence of the church which led to the construction of several churches and monasteries. World War II made it the center of some German operations. The spiral-shaped conformation of the inhabited area remains from the Medieval period, where ancient monuments are still present today. The walls that still surround the city today opened on three doors and defended the castle of two towers; one of which was used in the construction of the central bell tower of the church. The site of the castle, whose construction has been lost, is now the site of archaeological excavations that can be visited. Of important importance is the area of the crypt where you can see the bases of the three great altars and the small apse. Leaving the area it is possible to admire a parallelepiped brick structure which constitutes the cistern of the fourteenth century. The village is structured in alleys and glimpses with pastel-colored houses, developed from ancient tower houses. Imposing and very different from the houses of the village are Palazzo del Podestà decorated with ceramic coats of arms and the Clock Tower used as an exhibition space.