Europe Explored » florentine architect https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Montepulciano – a medieval and Renaissance hill town in Italy https://europeexplored.com/2011/04/29/montepulciano-a-medieval-and-renaissance-hill-town-in-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2011/04/29/montepulciano-a-medieval-and-renaissance-hill-town-in-italy/#comments Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:18:04 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=3585 Montepulciano is an Italian city situated in southern Tuscany. Today the town has about 14.000 inhabitants. It is located at an altitude of over 600 m and is built in the hills on a narrow limestone ridge. In the center of Montepulciano, you can visit many churches and Renaissance palaces, which were built with the […]

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]]> Montepulciano is an Italian city situated in southern Tuscany. Today the town has about 14.000 inhabitants. It is located at an altitude of over 600 m and is built in the hills on a narrow limestone ridge. In the center of Montepulciano, you can visit many churches and Renaissance palaces, which were built with the participation of Florentine architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. The city is also famous for its local wine – Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is one of the best wines in Tuscany.

Among the most valuable sights in Montepulciano you can find Sant’Agostino church or ancient gate Porta al Prato. On the Piazza Grande there is the Gothic palace Palazzo Comunale from 14th century. From its tower you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surroundings. Other palaces worth visiting are Palazzo Neri-Orselli, which is now a museum and a gallery, or the Palazzo del Monte Cantucci from 16th century. Not far from the center of the town you can visit a church of Santa Lucia. On the slope below the town of Montepulciano there is situated Renaissance pilgrim church of San Biagio, built by Antonio da Sangallo. In its interior you can see the original artistic decoration.


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]]> https://europeexplored.com/2011/04/29/montepulciano-a-medieval-and-renaissance-hill-town-in-italy/feed/ 0 Pienza – the model of the Renaissance town in the heart of Tuscany, Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/10/23/pienza-the-model-of-the-renaissance-town-in-the-heart-of-tuscany-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/10/23/pienza-the-model-of-the-renaissance-town-in-the-heart-of-tuscany-italy/#comments Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:03:30 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=1425 Pienza is a lovely town, whose small chamber center had been almost totally rebuilt by Pope Pius II. in 15th century. In 1405 in Corsignanu, as Pienza was called at that time, was born Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini. He later became a leading humanist and philosopher. In 1458 he became pope Pius II, and a year […]

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]]> Pienza is a lovely town, whose small chamber center had been almost totally rebuilt by Pope Pius II. in 15th century. In 1405 in Corsignanu, as Pienza was called at that time, was born Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini. He later became a leading humanist and philosopher. In 1458 he became pope Pius II, and a year later he decided to change the face and the name of his birthplace.

Florentine architect and sculptor Bernardo Rossellino, was assigned to a cathedral project, the papal palace and town hall (all buildings have been completed within three years from 1459 to 1462). Grandiose plan – to build the model of the Renaissance city has never been realized. Some ideas of how the town could looks, you can see at Palazzo Piccolomini, the former papal palace which served until 1968.

You can see there for example Pius bedroom and library. The main highlight is a stunning panorama, which opens to visitors from the balcony and the arcaded courtyard in the back of the palace.

A pleasant walk, and another amazing spectacle you can enjoy by the village walls.

Pienza is surrounded by nature and it is home to 3,000 inhabitants. It is famous for its cheese production, which you can see everywhere in the town. The cheeses are aged here for several years, stored in underground and are made with different flavors.


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]]> https://europeexplored.com/2010/10/23/pienza-the-model-of-the-renaissance-town-in-the-heart-of-tuscany-italy/feed/ 0 Palermo – the craziest city in Europe | Sicily, Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/09/02/palermo-the-craziest-city-in-europe/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/09/02/palermo-the-craziest-city-in-europe/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:44:01 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=1391 Palermo is a historical city in the northwest of the island of Sicily in Italy. It is also the cultural, economic and touristic capital of Sicily. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old and has […]

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]]> Palermo is a historical city in the northwest of the island of Sicily in Italy. It is also the cultural, economic and touristic capital of Sicily. The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old and has 855,285 residents – they speak Italian language and the Sicilian dialect (which is absolutely different than Italian language). If you want to see anything special in Europe, try to visit Palermo and you’ll find that it is absolutely different from all the rest of Europe.


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Imaginary center of Palermo is Piazza Vigliena where meet two main streets of the city – Via Maqueda and Via Vittorio Emanuele. It was designed in the 17th Century by well-known Florentine architect Giulio Lasso. The square is surrounded by four majestic buildings with a richly decorated facade. In front of each of them there is a fountain. The sculptures in various niches show four seasons, the Spanish king and saint patron of the city. Sometimes the square is called the “Solar Theater”, since when come here at any time of day, at least one of the facades is beautifully illuminated by the sun.


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Just a few minutes away you will find a major landmark of the city – Cathedral of Palermo. It was built in the 12th century at the former place of basilica and mosque. Even today, observant visitors may have noticed engraved version of the Koran in one of its pillars. The building has retained its Norman Sicilian style, however the most of what we can see today dates back to the Renaissance period.


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Quite morbid, but for someone attractive can be a visit to the catacombs of the Capuchin Monastery – Catacomb dei Cappuccini. There are located approx. 8000 mummies of the former residents of Palermo. You definitely should not miss a tour to a nearby hill of Monte Pellegrino, from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the city.

The airport is located thirty kilometers west of Palermo and you can get a bus to the centre of Palermo, which I personally think that it is the most craziest city in Europe and that I have ever seen.

What to see in Palermo

  • Quattro Canti is a small square
  • Piazza Pretoria with the Fontana Pretoria
  • The Teatro Politeama
  • The Teatro Massimo
  • Palermo Cathedral – the city’s cathedral and main church
  • San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi church
  • San Giovanni degli Eremiti
  • Chiesa della Martorana
  • San Cataldo
  • Santa Maria della Gancia
  • Santa Maria della Catena
  • San Giuseppe dei Teatini
  • Oratorio di San Lorenzo
  • Orto botanico di Palermo
  • Capuchin Catacombs

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