Monterchi and the
Madonna del Parto
The village of Madonna del Parto
Monterchi
Perched on a hill that rises in the middle of a plain and surrounded by gentle hills, the village of Monterchi is the first Tuscan outpost to be found along the Valtiberina Toscana from Città di Castello to Arezzo. There are certain news about Monterchi only from the 11th century, but its origins are to be found in pre-Christian times.The city wall is still well preserved today, and despite the strong earthquake of 1917, the historic center still retains little memories of its medieval past.
Details of the Tour
TOUR DURATION
Half Day
Full Day
MAX GROUP SIZE
30/50
TOUR COST
140 € (HD)
260 € (FD)
The medieval hamlet of Monterchi originates as a holy site for the ancient Romans, and was worshipped by the cult of Hercules. Today, the city is one of the must-see stops for visitors taking the “sentiero dell’arte”, the original artistic path that traces the journey of the art of Piero della Francesca.
In the historic center, in a small museum dedicated to the Virgin Mary, one may find the stunning fresco painting of an expecting Mary in the “The Madonna of Childbirth” by Piero della Francesca, most recently restored in 1459.
The Madonna del Parto is a fresco painting by the Italian Renaissance master Piero della Francesca, finished around 1460. It is housed in the Museo della Madonna del Parto of Monterchi. The figure of this Madonna, the protector of pregnant women, with her austere expression and natural stance of a woman heavy with child, stands out against the damask canopy, held open at the sides by two angels. The sacred and ritual nature of the image is further emphasized by the fact that the angels are drawn from the same cartoon, repeated in mirror image.
Walking the streets of the historic center you might want to take a pit stop at the Museum of Weights and Scales, located within the Massi-Alberti palace and learn about the history of these measuring instruments.
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One of Italy's most picturesque town
Anghiari is considered one of Italy's most picturesque towns. On June 29 1440 the plain at the town's outskirts was the setting of a famous battle, which would be later aptly named "the battle of Anghiari".
Piero della Francesca
at the Museo Civico
The museum is situated in an old palace of Sansepolcro, the seat of the municipality until the 60s. The present aspect of the building has resulted from a number of architectural changes, which began during the 14th century.
Piero della Francesca in Arezzo
In Arezzo two are the obligatory stops in order to admire the stilistic genious of the “Biturgense” master: the Cathedral, which is a sort of casket to the unicum of Maddalena and the Bacci Chapel in the Basilica of St. Francis.
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