What to see
The exterior façade is split into two sections by a horizontal dentil cornice: the lower portion features a Gothic portal with a lintel supported by small brackets, while a rose window dominates the upper wall. Inside, the layout consists of a broad single nave that opens into a transept and terminates in a rectangular apse. The interior contains an important cycle of 14th-century frescoes by an anonymous Sienese painter, portraying scenes from the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and episodes from the life of Blessed Gherardo da Villamagna. Highlights also include a carved ciborium shaped like a Gothic doorway, enclosed by a wrought-iron grate crafted by Pietruccio di Betto in 1340, and a wooden Crucifix dating from the second half of the 15th century. The church originally housed major panel paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti, including the Madonna of Monticchiello, now in the Diocesan Museum of Pienza, a painting of a female Saint now at the Musée Tessé in Le Mans, and a panel with Three Saints now kept at the Museo Horne in Florence.
Visiting
Inside the church, visitors can observe the 13th-century layout, the 14th-century wall paintings, and the 1340 wrought-iron ciborium. To see the altarpiece panels originally created for this sanctuary, you will need to visit the respective museum collections where they are now preserved.
Our editors' tip
Combine your stop in Monticchiello with a visit to the nearby Diocesan Museum in Pienza to see Pietro Lorenzetti's Madonna of Monticchiello in person.