Mura di Monteriggioni e Camminamenti

Monteriggioni's medieval walls form a nearly circular enclosure around the hilltop village. Built by Siena in the early thirteenth century, the circuit retains fourteen towers and two gates, preserving the character of a fortified outpost on the Via Francigena.

Why it matters

The Republic of Siena built Monteriggioni between 1213 and 1219 to defend its northern frontier and monitor routes toward Florence. The circuit survives unusually intact: roughly 570 metres of wall, with square-based towers and gates facing north and south. Dante evoked its towered silhouette in Inferno XXXI.

What to notice

Porta di San Giovanni faces Florence, while Porta Franca takes its name from the Via Francigena. The walls follow the contours of the hill rather than a regular geometric plan. Some towers were lowered and earth added against the walls during early sixteenth-century modifications for firearms. The southern wall walkway provides views toward the Chianti hills and San Gimignano.

Context and history

Monteriggioni guarded the Elsa and Staggia valleys and the road corridor between Siena and Florence. Its compact street pattern reflects the settlement's military role. The fortress was adapted as artillery changed warfare, and the modern walkways were added in the early 2000s; today only a stretch on the south side is open to visitors.