Historic City Centre of Pienza
Reconstructed as a Pope’s retreat from the stresses of Roman life in the 15th century, the city of Pienza lies within the Val D’Orcia in south central Italy. Declared a World Heritage site in 1996, this city is where the revolutionary forms of Renaissance urbanism got their start.
Historically, the city of Pienza was the known as Corsignano and can be found in the historical record in the ninth century. Trading hands amongst various noble families during the following centuries, the city became notable in 1459 when it was rebuilt in on a revolutionary new model by Pope Pius II. Born Enea Silvio Piccolomini in 1405, that Pope was native of the city and rewrote the entire fabric of the city along humanist lines. Intending Corsignano to become an example of a perfect city, Pious II hired the renowned architect Bernardo il Rossellino to accomplish this utopian task. It is at this time that the city was renamed ‘Pienza,’ which translates out to ‘the city of Pious.’
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Situated in a picturesque location, many of the sites in the city are located directly on the piazza. The centerpiece of the square, as intended by Pius II, is the city’s Duomo. One of the earliest examples of the Renaissance facades, the Duomo showcases the Pius’ appreciation of German Gothic elements, particularly in the shape of its tower and the triple nave structure. Inside, one finds the art of the famous Siena school immortalized in frescos spanning the chapel.
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To complete the city center, Pius encouraged wealthy families to build palazzos along the remaining sides of the piazza. Because of this, we find Palazzo Vescoville here, built to house visiting church dignitaries, notably financed by Rodrigo Borgia. It is speculated that this building was in fact a renovation of the original town’s city hall, but now it houses the Diocesan Museum and the Museum Cattedralle. To the final side, one finds the Palazzo Communale, or Town Hall. Given its status in the wake of Pious’ transformation of the city, the old town hall was considered insufficient for the city’s new status and was promptly replaced by one of suitable grandeur.
Courtesy of: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=40741&picture=pienza-and-montalcino
This site meets three of the criteria to be inscribed as a World Heritage site. First, the style of urban planning used here is held to be revolutionary and qualifies the site as a work of unique creative genius, meeting the first criterion. Second, the styles of urban planning used within did not stay locked inside of Pienza, instead spreading to other Italian municipalities and to the wider world from there. The fact that the elements used here permeated city planning for centuries to come allows it to meet the second criterion. Third and finally, the site is widely held to be a noteworthy example of Renaissance architecture and thought, allowing it to meet the fourth criterion.