Palazzo Piccolomini

Palazzo Piccolomini was built for Pope Pius II during the rebuilding of Corsignano as Pienza between 1459 and 1462. Its three loggias open toward the Val d'Orcia, while a walled garden extends behind the palace.

Why it matters

The palace formed the residential counterpart to Pius II's remaking of his birthplace. Designed by Bernardo Rossellino, it belongs to the architectural campaign that transformed Corsignano into Pienza. At the rear, three levels of arcades connect the residence with a garden and the surrounding countryside. The arrangement shows how Renaissance architecture joined domestic space with landscape.

What to notice

The palace follows a regular plan around a courtyard. Three sides face the town, while the garden facade opens toward the countryside through three tiers of porticoes. In his Commentarii, Pius II described these walkways and the views from them, including the winter sunrise over Radicofani. The piano nobile contains rooms associated with the noble apartment, including a dining room, music room, study, library and bedrooms. The garden is a square walled space with a central well-head, four flowerbeds edged in double box hedges, dome-pruned laurels and three windows framing the Val d'Orcia and Monte Amiata.

Context and history

Enea Silvio Piccolomini was born at Corsignano on 18 October 1405. Elected pope in 1458, he took the name Pius II. From 1459 to 1462 he had his birthplace rebuilt and renamed Pienza, with public buildings and palaces for members of his court. UNESCO's account describes a broader plan that included around forty public and private buildings and twelve houses near the town walls. The palace passed to Pius II's nephews under a papal bull preserved in its library. Pius II died at Ancona in 1464 while preparing a crusade; his Commentarii, completed in 1463, remain an important account of Pienza and the residence.