Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

Santa Maria Assunta belongs to Pitigliano's nineteenth-century expansion beyond the medieval centre. Established in 1843 and consecrated in 1855, the church offers a contrast with the older cathedral.

Why it matters

Its creation reflects the growth of the newer town and the formation of a separate parish from territory previously belonging to the cathedral. The building is part of Pitigliano's later urban history rather than its medieval defensive fabric.

What to notice

A mosaic of the Virgin fills the lunette of the arched entrance. The single nave is covered by cross vaults, with coloured stained glass adding light to the interior. The principal painting represents the Assumption with saints, including Clare. A bell tower gives the exterior a further vertical accent.

Context and history

Grand Duke Leopoldo II ordered the church's construction in 1843, the year in which the parish was established. Consecration followed in 1855. Its position outside the old core gave the expanding community another religious focus, while the relatively simple exterior and vaulted hall distinguish it from the Baroque forms of the cathedral.