Tempio di San Biagio

The Tempio di San Biagio stands below Montepulciano, a Renaissance church in golden travertine designed on a Greek-cross plan by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. Its domed form was built on the site of an earlier church dedicated to the Madonna.

Why it matters

San Biagio is a major Renaissance work in the landscape below Montepulciano. Sangallo's Greek-cross plan and central dome draw on the architectural language of the period, while the pale travertine distinguishes the church from the hill town above. Its freestanding position makes the building's geometry legible from several sides.

What to notice

The Greek-cross plan gives the church four related arms, with a semicircular apse and lateral bell towers. Only one of the planned towers was completed. Inside, a fourteenth-century Sienese fresco of the Madonna became the focus of devotion after reports of miracles in 1518. The main altar area also contains a marble dossale by Giannozzo and Lisandro di Pietro Albertini, statues attributed to Ottaviano Lazzarini, and frescoes by Angelo Righi.

Context and history

Construction began in 1518 on the site of an earlier church dedicated to the Madonna. The temple was consecrated in 1537 while work continued. Sources give different dates for the completion of the building, reflecting its extended construction and finishing phases. Sangallo was active around Montepulciano during this period and also designed the well in Piazza Grande.