San Quirico d'Orcia is a comune (municipality) of about 2,500 inhabitants in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Florence and about 35 kilometres (22 mi)
southeast of Siena inside the Valdorcia landscape. It is named in honor of Saint Quiricus.

Geography

Located on the Via Francigena, San Quirico d'Orcia borders the municipalities of Castiglione d'Orcia, Montalcino, Pienza, and San Giovanni d'Asso. It counts the hamlets (frazioni) of Bagno Vignoni (also named Vignoni), and Fornace Laterizi.
Due to its position in the middle of the main Via Francigena pilgrimage route, San Quirico has long been a staging post for pilgrims and merchants on the way to Rome.

Main sights

The frazione of Vignoni houses a castle, a residence of the Salimbeni in the 12th century. It includes a top-less tower and a Romanesque church, once housing a crufix by Giambologna, now in the Museum of Montalcino. Annexed is also the (rebuilt) 15th century Palazzo degli Amerighi, where a plot was set against the Spanish who menaced Siena in 1558–59.

San Quirico is home to the following churches:

Collegiate church of San Quirico. Once a rural pieve (pleban church) from the 8th century, with a baptismal font, it was rebuilt into the current structure in the 12th century. The rear section was altered in 1663 to add the choir. It is on the Latin cross plan, with a single nave and side chapels. Notable is the main portal, in Lombard style, consisting in a decorated protiro in sandstone, with columns supported by lions. The arch includes ten columns, whose capitals are decorated with animals and vegetable figures, while the architrave features two crocodiles facing each other. The lunette has a high-relief sculpture allegedly portraying St. Damasus, though likely to be identified with St. Quiricus. A side portal, added in the 13th century, has been attributed to Giovanni Pisano, who was in Siena at the time. Most of the interior decoration date to the 17th century, while the bell tower was rebuilt in 1798–1806.

Romanesque church of San Biagio a Vignoni

Church of Santa Maria Assunta (late 11th century)

Church of San Giovanni Battista, at Bagno Vignoni

Church of Madonna di Vitaleta, housing a "Madonna" attributed to Andrea della Robbia

Horti Leonini (1561), an example of Italian garden

Palazzo Chigi Zondadari, a baroque historic building located in Piazza Chigi, dates back to the 17th century and looks like an imposing stone structure in contrast to the surrounding buildings (the Collegiata).

Piazza della Libertà

Halfway through Via Dante Alighieri, on Piazza della Libertà, is the Chiesa di San Francesco. This church is also called the Chiesa della Madonna di Vitaleta , because the Madonna of Andrea Della Robbia is kept here. The glazed porcelain sculpture is on the main altar.
Opposite the church is the Porta Nuova, one of the medieval gateways of the city, and on its left a brick gate leads you to the Horti Leonini, one of Tuscany's most beautiful gardens.

In June, Festa del Barbarossa takes place in the historic center of the city. During the first week of September, a party will be held on the piazza della Libertà and in the surrounding streets in honor of the Madonna di Vitaleta.

The inhabitants of San Quirico d'Orcia are called Sanquirichesi.

Festa del Barbarossa | www.festadelbarbarossa.it

Festa della Madonna di Vitaleta | Festa della Madonna di Vitaleta - Facebook

Comune

Website:  www.comunesanquirico.it

 

Weekly market in San Quirico d'Orcia takes place in the historic center on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, from 8:00 to 13:00.