Cetona, a picturesque village located in the far south of the province of Siena, constitutes an emblematic concentration of the famous "Sienese countryside." Thanks to its rich historical, cultural and scenic heritage, this place offers tourists a high-quality experience, guaranteeing a superior welcome. Prepare to be captivated by an unforgettable atmosphere, comparable only to a painting-a masterfully recreated fresco of nature's beauty.
The timeless beauty of Cetona
The village of Cetona rises majestically in the presence of Mount Cetona - an imposing and tranquil backdrop. The surrounding landscape is characterized by hills pierced by vineyards and olive groves, dotted with cypress and pine trees. Small valleys, planted with cereals, decorate the view and flow into the abundant Valdichiana. Cetona's fascinating potential is such that the Italian Touring Club awarded the village the Orange Flag, a distinctive sign of tourist-environmental quality.
Local events and traditions: Living Cetona
Cetona is not only a place of great scenic quality, but offers a living glimpse into Tuscan tradition and culture. The year's calendar is marked by important events including the famous Corsa delle Brocche and the Sagra del Bico di Piazze in summer. In spring, however, the village lights up with the colors of "Cetona in Fiore," an exhibition market of flowers and plants accompanied by tastings of typical local dishes and cooking classes.
Ode to the Piazza: Heart of Cetona
Cetona's calling card is Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi. This large rectangular space was created around the middle of the 16th century thanks to the will of Marquis Vitelli, who wished to offer the medieval village a new access, granting breath to the architecture of the place. From here you can admire the ancient Church of the Santissima Annunziata, its historic facades and beautiful surrounding buildings.
Monuments and Places of Art: Treasures to Discover in Cetona
The Former Church of SS. Annunziata and the Minutelli Palace offer a special opportunity for art and culture lovers. Notable works of art can be found within these historic spaces, including the 1648 Annunciation, located on the altar of the former church, and the rooms frescoed by painter Antonio Castelletti in the Palazzo Minutelli.
Among the many artistic treasures, the Balestrieri Studio, dedicated to the famous local painter, deserves special mention. This place houses an original collection of his works, including the famous "Beethoven," which won the gold medal in the Italian section at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900.
The last stop on this artistic tour in Cetona is the wonderful Church of the Holy Trinity, overlooking the square of the same name. Among its many frescoes are the Assumption of the Virgin and the Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, whose beauty reflects the excellence of the Italian Renaissance.
A trip to Cetona offers a glimpse into an enchanting world of artistic beauty, cultural richness and breathtaking scenery. Explore this Tuscan village, intoxicated by the scents of antiquity, dive into the local culture and discover a place that glows with a rare beauty, capable of leaving unforgettable emotions in your heart!
Village of Cetona
The Municipality of Cetona
Province of Siena
Tuscany Region
inhabitants: 2.689 cetonesi
Altitude center: 385 m a.s.l.
The Municipality is part of:
I Borghi più belli d'Italia
Città del vino
Città dell'olio
Paesi bandiera arancione
Unione Valdichiana Senese
Acknowledgments
Orange Flag - Italian Touring Club
Municipality
Via Roma 41 - Tel. +39 0578 237611
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The naturalness with which the stone of its buildings blends with the almost pictorial delicateness of the tuscan landscape establishes the wonder of Cetona. It is enough to climb to the narrow cobbled streets called "coste", because it flanks the mountain, or enter into the "Cittadella", the ancient lump of houses that dominates the renaissance square, to seize the poetry of this place a "joy of serene forms", as wrote Piero Grassini. The countryside around Cetona is so beautiful that they appear to be almost a “oleografica” representation of a renaissance landscape. The walls once had three laps, today preserved in the round tower of Rivellino, dating back to the second half of the XVI century, the most important track of the third circle. The urban structure is affected by the war events of the medieval period, when Cetona was juggling between Siena and Orvieto. This valley dotted with churches and glittering with olive, pine and cypress trees, in the past has enchanted intellectuals and travelers like Bernard Berenson, Romain Rolland, Paul Bourget, and at the present offers more prosaic shelter, between the ancient houses of the village or in the farmhouses in the countryside, personalities from the world of economy, culture, fashion. The writer Angela Bianchini lives in Cetona since many years in the house which belonged to the painter Lionello Balestrieri, and in a secluded dwelling houses Guido Ceronetti, desecrating writer writes: "Today almost the entire campaign with agricultural machinery, agrochemical, monoculture, money, the abandonment, the dimming of infinite voices, is well the eve of Italoshima" (Albergo Italia, 1985). But with its serene beauty Cetona is the right place to "give calm and refreshment from the hotel of the malaise" in which our life is reduced.
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