Aldobrandeschi family Fortress (Castle), near Abbadia San Salvatore, definitely a place to visit because is not far to the Val d’Orcia beautiful landscapes (Montalcino, San Quirico, Bagno Vignoni, etc.).

The building has a quadrilateral shape and is equipped with high and very steep walls. It has two towers, the largest had raised quarter functions, the other, placed in the opposite corner, defended the underlying gateway to the city.

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The whole complex was equipped with defensive corbels, still almost intact. The Fortress is in excellent condition thanks to a careful restoration work completed at the end of the last century.

The village has a circular shape, once enclosed by a fortified wall interspersed with squared towers and four gates.

The walls were almost completely demolished, three towers are still visible today, two semi-circular and one square, the main door next to the Fortress and three other gates, in the southern part of the walls “Porta Romana”, “Porticciola” and “Voltaia”. In the highest summit still stands the mighty Aldobrandeschi’s Fortress.

Where you can find the village and the Fortress?

As you can see in the map below, Piancastagnaio is located not far from Mount Amiata, in the Province of Siena, and you can visit it by organizing a one-day trip that may include the visit of Montepulciano, Tortona, Monticchiello, Bagno Vignoni (also Montalcino and San Quirico d’Orcia in available depends on time you have) and then driving down on the Regional Road 2, turning to Bagni di San Filippo, finally passing from Abbadia San Salvatore.

Village history

Since the 11° century, the southern Tuscany area around Piancastagnaio Castle was subject of the expansionist fight of the powerful Aldobrandeschi family, the entire surrounding area is rich in history about this family.

Piancastagnaio was disputed by the monks of San Salvatore Abbey from the year 1000 a.C., it was later claimed by the Visconti of Campiglia and during the XIII century it became subject to further disputes between Siena and Orvieto.

Aldobrandeschi family extinguished in 1284, and the fight between Siena and Orvieto started once again. Orvieto prevailed in the first half of the XIV century, then Siena, however threatened by the Orsini of Pitigliano. Not without suspicion and hostility, the municipality of Piancastagnaio became part, in the first half of the XV century, of the Republic of Siena (1440).

Piancastagnaio remained faithful to Siena, until it was overtaken by Florence (yield of Montalcino, 1559). In 1601 the Granducato of Tuscany sold Piancastagnaio Village to the Marquis Giovanni Battista Bourbon del Monte, a Venetian Republic military. With him and his successors disappeared all traces of the ancient laws; Marquis confiscated all the ownership of municipality’s lands and imposed heavy taxes on many activities. Then began a period of civil and urban decay (the Marquis had shot a large part of the walls down just to build his palace). The domination of the feudal lords ceased in 1777.

The Piancastagnaio’s Palio

The Palio is the most important event for the 4 Contradas (Districts) that form the Piancastagnaio Municipality:

• Borgo (yellow-blue colors, coat of arms “prancing horse turned to the left”)
• Coro (red-black colors, coat of arms “open-wings eagle with head turned to the right”)
• Castello (red-green colors, coat of arms “castle with 2 towers”)
• Voltaia (white-black colors, coat of arms “oak into an arched doorway”)

The horse race takes place every year on 18 August, the contrade (districts) will compete to win the Palio, on bareback horses (just like the Palio of Siena). After the race, a long night of celebration for the winning Contrada with rivers of wine, joy and typical teasing choirs to other Contradas.