A visit to Monteriggioni, Italy
Monteriggioni is a little medieval gem and the perfect stop on your way to Siena. The town is perched on a hill and is surrounded by a perfectly maintained ring of fortifications. The twelve towers that dominate the city are even mentioned in Dante’s Inferno, in which he compares them to giants. Monteriggioni is also so charming and scenic that it has featured in many films such as The Gladiator, The English Patient and Stealing Beauty and even in video games like Assassin’s Creed II. But where did this begin?
A brief history of Monteriggioni
During the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, Siena and Florence were enemy towns. They faced each other in many battles and skirmishes. The city of Siena chose Monteriggioni as a protective outpost. The hilltop position and the ring of walls surrounding Monteriggioni, protected its inhabitants during sieges. The 12 towers, facing every direction, helped the garrison see approaching enemy troops. The construction of the fortifications lasted from 1214 to 1219. In 1554, the captain of the garrison betrayed the Sienese by handing the keys of the town over to the Florentine. The battle was lost without bloodshed, but all of Monteriggioni’s inhabitants were taken to Florence as slaves (yep, those were very hard times).
What to do in Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a small town, perfect for a half day visit. Stop there for a coffee or aperitivo on your way to or from Siena. If you aren’t scared of heights, go to the top of the walls and enjoy the spectacular views. The ticket costs 4 euros (which also includes the entrance fee to the armour museum). Sadly you cannot walk on the actual medieval walls but on a 10 meter gangway that runs parallel to them. Time your visit around sunset to capture the soft glow on the Tuscan countryside.
Read the full article on Tuscan Wanders Blog.
