Overview
Renaissance temple in the Tuscan countryside
Perhaps one of the most emblematic places in Montepulciano, the Temple of San Biagio is not far from the town centre and represents one of the most important examples of Italian Renaissance architecture. The foundation stone of the building was laid in 1518. Legend has it that construction began following a miracle, after two women, Antilia and Camilla, saw the eyes of the Virgin, painted on a fresco, move.
The church is located in the middle of a flat meadow. The near-absence of vegetation and the isolated location make the building's grandeur contrast with the hilly Tuscan landscape. The wall behind the high altar is the one with the most decorative elements, including the marble ridge by Giannozzo and Lisandro di Pietro Albertini. In the niches are statues of saints, sculpted by Ottaviano Lazzarini. There is no shortage of frescoes: the Madonna and Child with St Francis is attributed to Maestro di Badia a Isola, while the works by painter Angelo Righi are in the lunette and arch of the vault, in the main chapel.
