⛪ Churches & sanctuaries

badia Ardenga

📍 Montalcino, Tuscany · 55/100

Founded in the 11th century by the counts of Ardenga as a Vallombrosan monastery, Badia Ardenga — officially the church of Sant'Andrea Apostolo — stands in Montalcino, in the province of Siena. Pope Pius II suppressed the monastery in 1462, leaving a Romanesque building with Lombard and French stylistic influences that was heavily modified in later periods.

What to see

Originally designed with three naves and an apse, the church today consists of a single nave and no longer retains its apse. The exterior is marked by a gable bell tower featuring triple-arched openings supported by small columns and capitals. Surrounding the inner courtyard are a portico and a loggia. Beneath the presbytery lies a 12th-century crypt, reached through an access point to the right of the high altar; this underground room was originally split into seven narrow aisles. The church was also the original site of the Dossale di Badia Ardenga, created by painters Guido da Siena and Dietisalvi di Speme, which was later dismantled and dispersed across multiple collections.

Visiting

The site allows visitors to view the inner courtyard flanked by its loggia and portico, as well as the 12th-century crypt located right of the main altar.

Our editors' tip

Look closely at the bell-gable, where the small columns and carved capitals showcase the surviving Romanesque craftsmanship of the complex.

Explore Montalcino

The whole town: guide, places, food and events.