Rocca and Town Walls of Monticchiello

The Keep, only rest of the fortress, at the highest vertex of the walls.	The only gate remained.

Monticchiello rises in the council of Pienza, at the border with that of Montepulciano, in province of Siena. It can be reached following the motorway A1 up to the exit of Valdichiana and following the indications for Pienza or in alternative from the Orcia valley, first following the road SS2 Cassia 'til the cross with the SS146 for S.Quirico D'Orcia.

The castle, or better walled town, of Monticchiello, fief of the local family of the Lambardi, was thickly strengthened from the Senesis at the to end of the 12th century, when it became an important frontier fortress. Monticchiello was the center of the defensive organization of the oriental  Senese border and for this motive during its history was often object of wars and assaults, destruction and occupations. In 1229-35 it was destroyed by the Orvietani, was twice occupied on the to end of the 1300 first by the Florentine and then by the Montepulcianesi and suffered others serious devastation in 1553, found itself on the road of the march of the imperial army during the 'War of Siena'.

The whole system of the fortifications is chained to the Rocca, set in the highest point of the hill where the suburb rises, of which only the mighty keep with its bastioned walls endowed with machicoulis in stone (opening between corbels of the parapet through which the defenders can drop rocks or fire projectiles against an enemy directly below them) strongly remains. The town walls, only partially preserved,  were alternated from square towers of various dimensions, two of which still flank the only survived gate. The suburb inside the fortifications has maintained intact its medieval characteristics and walking for its lanes is as breathing the history.