Pienza
Welcome to Pienza: a small town in Tuscany
Hello friends! Today I will tell you about Pienza, a small town in the province of Siena, in Tuscany. The city has a population of about 1990 inhabitants and is located in the beautiful Val d'Orcia. In 1996, the historic center of Pienza was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there are good reasons why Pienza deserves such an honor.
Physical geography
Territory
Pienza has low seismicity and a climatic classification of zone E, with a high atmospheric diffusivity according to the 2002 Ibimet CNR data.
Climate
The climate of Pienza is moderately continental, with hot summers and winters mitigated by a certain rigidity. Precipitation is irregular, but the presence of heights such as Monte Amiata helps to block humid south-westerly winds.
History
Pienza's history begins with the birth of Pope Pius II, who decided to rebuild the original village of Corsignano, where he was born in 1405. He entrusted the renovation project to the architect Bernardo Rossellino in 1462, and a beautiful historic center in typical fifteenth-century style was created, which has remained virtually intact until today. In 1996, Pienza became a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the beauty of its Renaissance historic center.
Natural history
Pienza's territory is also home to the Lucciola Bella nature reserve, where in 2003 fossil remains of a marine mammal similar to a dolphin, the Etruridelphis giulii, were discovered. It is the most complete fossil of a species that already lived over four million years ago.
Symbols
Pienza's coat of arms combines elements of the coat of arms of the Republic of Siena with those of the Piccolomini coat of arms, the family of Pope Pius II. The gonfalon of Pienza is a red drape, while the moon in the coat of arms represents the rising moons of the Piccolomini emblem.
Honors
During World War II, Pienza played an important role in the partisan struggle in Italy and was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor.
I hope this brief tour of Pienza has given you an idea of why the city has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and how rich its historical and natural traditions are. Thank you for reading and we hope to see you soon in Pienza!
