Hamlets, districts and squares
Piazza del Grano
The heart of Asciano, a town which was long considered the bread-basket of Siena
Asciano
Piazza del Grano
As well as its many churches and historic buildings, the central square of Asciano is also well worth a visit. Piazza del Grano gets its name from the fact that rural Asciano was at one time the bread-basket of Siena. The fountain in the middle of the square is of particular interest. It was created by Antonio di Paolo Chini of Lucca in the fifteenth century.
The fountain was inspired by the shapes of the floor decorations in the cathedral in Lucca. The monument was commissioned by Vieri di Nanni and Pietro di Fabiano Calmieri, mayors of Asciano in 1471 and 1472. In fact, the two men’s coats of arms are carved on the base of the fountain. The first shows three swords and the second a wild boar.
The figures carved in the fountain were put there by the Sienese mayors to remind the citizens of Asciano of their loyalty to the powerful city of Siena, although the artist who created the fountain managed to overcome such purely political aims and create an admirable work of art.
Asciano
A treasure trove of medieval art in the rolling Monte Oliveto Maggiore hills
Asciano is a centuries-old town located in the heart of the Crete Senesi. Urban myth would have us believe that the town was founded by Ascanio, the son of Remo and brother of Senio, the founder of Siena. Archaological remains date the settlement to the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, making Etruscans the first colonizers of the area. ...
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