The Small Village of Lucignano

The geographical location of Lucignano, in a position of domain between Siena and Arezzo, made it strategically important since the middle age and, between the Centuries from 1200 to 1500, had been deciding the continuous judicial shifts between Siena, Arezzo and Perugia.

The small village of Lucignano represents one of the best examples of medieval urban development for its installation in elliptic shape with concentric rings, which reached us unbroken throughout the Centuries. Walking the narrow streets surrounded by houses made out of stone and bricks, you get to the high part of the city where the centre of the village is: piazza del Tribunale, where the Palazzo Comunale is looming together with S. Francesco Church and the Collegiata.

Inside the thirteenth Century Palazzo Comunale there is the Museum, caretaker of all the treasures of the village: Art works from the Middle Age and from the Tuscan Renaissance, among which the wonderful Golden Tree albero is standing out. Its huge dimensions (it is 2,60 meters tall) and the richness of the decorations (corals, crystals, thumbnails on parchments…) make it an attraction for all tourists around the world. The Tree is exposed in the Audience Room, where also a cycle of frescoes is conserved, which is dedicated to illustrious Men, made on commission of the chancellors and Priors of Lucignano in the XV Century.

Beside the municipal building, there is the Franciscan complex from the XIII Century and made out of church and monastery. The church, in gabled structure, has a gothic facade with horizontal bands in sandstone and travertine, with a clear Sienese influence, and with a massive portal in travertine and a rose window in sandstone.
 

The church interior host a cycle of frescoes from the XIV-XV Century, telling the story of the life of San Francesco, whose most famous picture is the scene of the Triumph of Death painted by Bartolo di Fredi.

The main Church of Lucignano, though is the sixteenth Century Collegiata, located on the opposite side of the square and which has a beautiful travertine staircase, designed by the Jesuit Father Andrea Pozzo, who is taking as model the ellipsoidal draw of the urban structure of the village.
 

In May, the village is been coloured and scented with the Maggiolata flowers, peasant festival which is reminiscent of the old agrarian celebrations for the upcoming of the good season. Every year, the four districts of the village build trucks completely covered up with flowers which are marching on the streets of the village together with folkloric groups. For further information on the event:  http://www.maggiolatalucignanese.it/.

The streets of the village are full with typical restaurants where you can taste the dishes of the traditional Tuscan cuisine: bruschetta, ribollita, pici and Chianina beef. Lucignano is waiting for you!