Bath Vignoni
article written by Fabio Penna
The Adler Thermae di Bagno Vignoni, immersed in the beautiful landscape of the Val d'Orcia, offer the opportunity to spend enchanting days to refresh the spirit and take care of your body. In addition, the town and nearby towns give the opportunity for unforgettable moments of art and culture. Pienza became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1996, thanks to its Renaissance historic centre, a unesco world heritage site and in 2004 the entire Val d'Orcia was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site. Let us, then, take a short tour of these enchanted places.
Adler Baths. Lovely place, quality food, beautiful structure, careful care of the customer: the Adler Thermae Spa resort in Bagno Vignoni is the ideal place for those who want a period of relaxation and well-being. Then there are the renowned spas, already appreciated by the ancient Romans. It all stems from the action of rainwater that penetrates the earth and heated liquefies the minerals and sulphurous compounds and then re-emerges in the cracks of the ground. Sulfates and carbonates make Bath water Vignoni ideal for the body with beneficial effects for the skin and bones.
Bath Vignoni. The delightful town of Bagno Vignoni, famous for its spas, overlooks the Orcia valley. The healing capacity of its waters was already known to the ancient Romans and over the centuries the town was the destination of stays of Catherine da Siena, Lorenzo de' Medici and Aeneas Silvio Piccolomini (Pope Pius II). Nestled in the Val d'Orcia Nature Art Park, Bagno Vignoni has a rectangular bathtub in its center, dating back to the 16th century, with a hot spring of thermal water inside. This bathtub played a key role in the development of the village because houses, inns and the church of St. John the Baptist were built around it. Thanks to the proximity of the Via Francigena, pilgrims heading to Rome could stop at the baths to refresh themselves and, back in their countries, spread the knowledge of the place. The healing properties of water are particularly effective against arthritic and rheumatic problems. Characteristic site is the Park of the mills that once worked thanks to the thermal water.
San Quirico d'Orcia. San San Quirico d'Orcia is a municipality that dates back to the Etruscan era as evidenced by the ruins found at Vignoni and Ripa d'Orcia. In the Middle Ages, thanks to its proximity to the Via Francigena, the town became a thriving centre of commerce and a resting place for pilgrims. In 1154 the village was the scene of the meeting between Federico Barbarossa and the ambassadors of the pontiff Adriano IV. After falling under the rule of Siena San Quirico d'Orcia suffered heavy devastation that led to the decision to strengthen the fortifications. The town has retained its medieval appearance and its hemated walls are still almost intact today. The collegiate of saints Quirico and Juliet is one of the most beautiful and fascinating buildings in San Quirico. Set on a single-aisle Latin cross, the church features a western facade adorned with a rosette and a majestic portal with twisted columns resting on stylophore lions. Of the three portals of the building, the one overlooking the Via Francigena is traditionally considered by Giovanni Pisano. The son and collaborator of Nicola, also a sculptor and architect, Giovanni Pisano is famous mainly for his intervention in the Cathedral of Siena and the realization of the related statues. The facade of the church is plastically bustling and adorned with extraordinary sculptures and original animal-shaped gargots. For the church of St. Andrew in Pistoia he creates a pulpit of great beauty characterized by sharp arches, columns resting on lions stylophores, bas-reliefs and angular figurines. Connoted by a great agitation (exemplified by the accentuated twist of the head of the lions stylophores) is the pulpit of the Cathedral of Pisa. Returning to the collegiate of saints Quiric and Juliet it should be remembered that inside are preserved important artistic works such as the statue of Count Henry of Nassau and the triptych of Sano di Peter with the Virgin, the Child and four saints.
Pienza. The splendid Pienza was born from the desire of Pope Pius II to give a new look to his native Corsignano reshaping it according to the architectural theories of rebirth. In this sense, the town is reconstructed inspired by models of geometric rationality and the ideals of harmony and functionality. The result is an urban centre reminiscent of the "ideal city" of Luciano Laurana. A key character for the creation of Pienza is the architect of Settignano Bernardo Rossellino,to whom the design of the characteristic main square is due. Designed with a trapezoidal plan on a narrow space is dejected by the arrangement of the Cathedral, the Civic Palace, the Papal Palace and the Bishop's Palace. Making the most of the layout of the Papal Palace and the bishop's on divergent lines, the Tuscan architect manages to make the square seem wider and give the Cathedral an imposing appearance. Pius II's death prevented the project from being completed. Another interesting site is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, whose home is the "Assumption of the Virgin between St. Agatha, the pontiffs Pius I and Callisto and St. Catherine of Siena". Lorenzo di Pietro, called the Vecchietta, a remarkable personality of painter, military architect and sculptor (as skilled in bronze fusion) who works in the second half of the fifteenth century. The Vecchietta works mainly in Siena for the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala. In the city of Palio, at the National Art Gallery is preserved the front cabinet for carved and gilded wooden relics with paintings the saints adored in Siena. In the collegiate of Castiglione Olona frescoes together with Paolo Schiavo "The stories of Saints Stephen and Lorenzo".
Montalcino. Of Etruscan origin, Montalcino in medieval times ended, following the Battle of Montaperti, under the rule of Siena. After the fall of Siena in 1555 the city became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860. Built on a hill, the town is still protected by the 14th-century walls and the 15th-century fortress. The pentagonal fortress offers breathtaking views from its towers. Inside it houses the banner of the Republic of Siena painted by Sodom. The Vercellese Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, called the Sodom, operated in the first part of the sixteenth century in Siena and Tuscany. His extraordinary ability to combine a sentimentality through a latent sensuality to a nuanced Of Leonardan ancestry is evident in the fresco with "Santa Caterina falls stunned after receiving the stigmas" of San Domenico in Siena. Its important frescoes can be found in the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The Benedictine abbey of St. Antimo is believed to have been built by Charlemagne and is considered an architectural jewel of the Tuscan Romanesque. It is inspired by Cluny Abbey. Suppressed in 1462 the abbey of St. Antimo in 1979 became home to a monastic community. Another remarkable building is the 13th-century church of St. Augustine.
Photo workshop. Val d'Orcia was the scene (from 10 to 13 April) of a photo workshop conducted by Sandro Santioli. Based on San Quirico d'Orcia, the group of photographers was able to capture natural thermal sources, sites for the extraction of travertine marble, important wineries and unforgettable landscapes. Sandro Santioli is one of the most important Italian landscape photographers. Deep connoisseur of the photographic medium he excels in both reportage and creative photography and collaborates with prestigious geographical and travel magazines. Many of his photographic exhibitions from personal (about thirty) to collective. Read more: www.sandrosantioli.com or sandrosantioli.wordpress.com.
Hotel Adler Thermae
0577 889001
I – 53027 Bath Vignoni – San Quirico d'Orcia
Siena - Italy