chiesa di Sant'Agostino, Montalcino: visitor guide

Built in the early 14th century along the main street of Montalcino, the church of Sant'Agostino stands as a key example of Italian Gothic architecture in the Sienese territory. Linked to a monastic complex with two 16th-century cloisters, the church houses notable fresco cycles created by Sienese painters of the 14th and 15th centuries.

What to see

The exterior façade is split horizontally by a stone band. The lower tier features a pointed portal framed by lateral pinnacles and carved stylized foliage, while the restored upper portion holds a large oculus with a rose window. Inside, the church displays a single broad nave with wooden roof trusses leading to a square choir chapel topped with a groin vault. Sienese artists painted the wall frescoes during the 14th and 15th centuries, depicting Scenes from the Passion of Christ and Stories of Saint Anthony Abbot. In the choir, 14th-century frescoes attributed to Bartolo di Fredi illustrate Scenes from the Life of Saint Augustine alongside the Evangelists and Doctors of the Church. To the left of the main hall, the adjacent monastery buildings surround two 16th-century cloisters.

Visiting

Between 2013 and 2019, architect Edoardo Milesi led a major conservation and functional recovery project across the monastic complex, restoring the outer façades, the bell tower, and the interior wall art. The restoration of the plasters, tempera paintings, and frescoes was fully funded by the Fondazione Bertarelli, alongside support from the European Regional Development Fund and the Catholic Church's 8x1000 fund.

Our editors' tip

When examining the choir area, take time to closely observe the fresco cycle attributed to Bartolo di Fredi to appreciate the storytelling details in the life of Saint Augustine.

Also in Montalcino

chiesa di San Lorenzo in San Pietro 📍 200 m Historic Montalcino church featuring 17th-century marble altars and paintings by Ventura Salimbeni. chiesa di Santa Croce 📍 200 m Seat of a medieval lay company, reopened in 1872 with a sixteenth-century fresco of the Madonna della Provvidenza. Duomo di Montalcino 📍 200 m The Neoclassical co-cathedral of Montalcino, rebuilt in the 19th century on the site of an 11th-century church. chiesa della Madonna del Soccorso 📍 400 m A Montalcino church tied to the 1553 siege, housing artworks by Tamagni and Vanni alongside an 1850 Agati organ.

Explore Montalcino

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