Piazza Grande

The beating heart of the Tuscan village

With its characteristic L-shaped shape and the many historical buildings that overlook here, the Piazza Grande di Montepulciano is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful squares in Italy. The fourteenth-century Palazzo Comunale dominates the area, with its battlements and its tower reminiscent of the most famous Palazzo della Signoria in Florence. Not least are Palazzo Contucci, built by Baldassarre Peruzzi in the sixteenth century, Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi and the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. In front of the latter is the Well of the Griffins and Lions. The square is completed by the Cathedral of the Assumption, with its unfinished façade and the Triptych of the Assumption by Taddeo di Bartolo kept inside. The beating heart of the city, Piazza Grande is lively all year round with locals and tourists. But it is in summer that it is at its best, when it becomes a stage for the theatrical performances of Cantiere internazionale d'arte. If you happen to be here on the last Sunday of August, don't miss the Bravìo delle Botti, a challenge between the representatives of the eight city wards that push large barrels through the streets of the village.