The 4 UNESCO world heritage sites in the province of Siena
Visiting the 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena is a wonderful idea for the pleasure of your eyes and spirit thanks to their beauty. With the historic centers of Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza and with the whole Val d’Orcia, the territory of Siena is the Italian area with the highest number of awards and has even the peculiarity of featuring a Heritage site within the another (Pienza, in fact, is a locality of the same star Val d’Orcia). By staying in a Siena Inns structure you can discover these magnificent sites even in just one weekend!
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena includes three historic centers and an area of great scenic importance.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has therefore issued its verdicts recognizing the high artistic value, the fine architectural workmanship and the amazing naturalistic beauty of many places, many buildings and several corners of the territory of Siena.
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena includes the city of < strong>Siena, the timeless town of San Gimignano, the delightful center of Pienza and the picturesque area of the Val d’Orcia.
Historic center of Siena
The unmistakable historic center di Siena was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The Tuscan city has been rewarded for having excellently preserved the fundamental peculiarities of its medieval structure and for its architectures that are perfectly adapted to the urban structure.
To better understand why the famous world organization has decided to assign recognition to this site, it is sufficient to visit Piazza del Campo, one of the most famous squares of the world where, twice a year, on July 2 and August 16, the race of the Palio is held.
From this famous open space, shaped like a shell and slightly downhill, you can see the impressive Torre del Mangia, 102 meters high, the Fonte Gaia, a faithful reproduction of the work created by Jacopo della Quercia, as well as majestic civil buildings such as the Palazzo Pubblico and the Palazzo Sansedoni. Besides Piazza del Campo, however, the historical center of Siena is distinguished by the presence of valuable noble palaces, renowned religious architecture and other buildings of the highest architectural and cultural value.
To discover every inch of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, comfortably on foot and without hurry, the Siena Inns hotel group offers the possibility to book two tourist facilities located at a few hundred meters from Piazza del Campo.
The Relais degli Angeli is only 500 meters from the main square of Siena and offers the opportunity to find accommodation in elegant and comfortable suites, which are ideal to book especially if you’re planning to spend a romantic weekend with the partner. The Hotel Italia, on the other hand, is a hotel outside the Limited Traffic Zone, just 15 minutes walk from Piazza del Campo, it offers a variety of accommodation types, a rich breakfast included in the price and the opportunity to stay in an exclusive Love Room.
Historic Center of San Gimignano
In the historic center of San Gimignano it seems that time has stopped. Unchanged and immutable, practically exonerated by the flow of all time, the suggestive San Gimignano is one of the most famous towns in the province of Siena.
Included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1990, the central plant of this village near Siena is an extraordinary testimony of what the Middle Ages in Tuscany may have represented. The proof is that even today, after centuries, the various structures typical of that period are clearly visible and well preserved, such as the streets, houses, wells, towers and fountains.
The 14 towers still standing, out of the 72 original ones, continue to give the historical center a characteristic medieval atmosphere and continue to be admired every year by thousands and thousands of visitors coming from all over the world.
Historic Center of Pienza
The beautiful historic center of Pienza has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The reason of the recognition is the high humanistic, historical and social value that characterizes the central part of this town near Siena.
In more specific terms, the center of Pienza was the first place where the urbanistic concepts of the Renaissance were implemented. From this new conception of the urban space arose the unique trapeze-shaped Piazza Pio II, but also theDuomo, the Presbytery, the Town Hall and the palaces Borgia, Ammannati and Piccolomini (the latter built on the example of Palazzo Rucellai in Florence).
The town of Pienza is also very famous for the production of an excellent cheese, the so-called Pecorino di Pienza, and to have in its toponymy of the streets very unique names such asVia dell’Amore, Via del Bacio and Via della Fortuna.
Val d’Orcia
The landscapes of the Val d’Orcia seem to be paintings that a very inspired artist has drawn on the magnificent canvas of the horizon. In fact, in 2004, UNESCO recognized this area near Siena as a World Heritage Site because it represents an extraordinary example of Renaissance landscape design.
Although it is located almost entirely in the province of Siena, the naturalistic and administrative aspects of the Val d’Orcia border also in the province of Grosseto, with the towns of Montegiovi and Montenero d’Orcia, and the extension of this territory reaches the border with Umbria.
As well as being an area of extraordinary scenic interest, the Val d’Orcia is also home to renowned towns, such as Montalcino and the aforementioned Pienza , and of various spa resorts such as Bagni San Filippo, Bagno Vignoni and San Casciano dei Bagni.
After having “tasted” the Val d’Orcia, do you want to try as soon as possible the exciting experience of spending a weekend or a holiday immersed in the enchanting nature of Siena? Discover all the comforts offered by a stay at Agriturismo Villa Agostoli!