Featured Excursions in Italy

Buonconvento

Picturesque village on the gentler side of the Sienese Clay Hills, preserves its 14C town walls and medieval houses and buildings. Here on 24 August 1313 Emperor Henry VII died. In the neighbourhood we suggest to visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, one of the best known monasteries in Tuscany.

Buonconventlo already flourished in ancient times thanks to its particular geographical situation: at the confluence of the Arbia and Ombrone rivers on one hand, and along the route of the all-important mediaeval Via Francigena on the other.

Still enclosed in the rectangular form imposed by the walls built by the Sienese in 1371, the town has preserved the monumental northern gate opening towards the capital of the province. Buonconvento was the seat of a podesta fron 1270 onwards and still boasts a fine Town Hall on whose facade one can distinguish the coats-of-arms of 25 podesta of olden days. The main tourist attraction (apart from the typical gastronomic delights such as the Val d'Arbia DOC white wine and vinsanto, or the white truffles from the Sienese Clay Hills) is, however, the important Sacred Art Museum, which houses works from the local churches: amongst these are paintings by Sano di Pietro and Matteo di Giovanni, as well as interesting wooden and marble sculptures.