In Tuscany, In The Montagnola Senese Region, Near Siena, A 12th Century Estate Comprising Four

In Tuscany, in the Montagnola Senese region, near Siena, a 12th-century estate comprising four buildings and woodland covering some 44 hectares. The yellow marble used for the floor of Siena Cathedral and the Fonte Gaia in Piazza del Campo comes from these hills. The Montagnola Senese has provided the city with its most precious stones, whilst retaining for itself its forests, its Romanesque churches and a long-standing reputation as a land of retreat and meditation. It is here, some fifteen kilometres from Siena, that a 12th-century estate has been restored stone by stone over the course of ten years’ work, whilst preserving its medieval features. Four buildings house six self-contained apartments, featuring exposed beams and terracotta floors, whilst the main house is centred around a living room of around 90 m² opening out onto the valley. Outside, the original bread oven, two ancient wells, stone staircases and an organic vegetable garden bear witness to the life of a place that has always been self-sufficient. The surrounding 44 hectares, 42 of which are protected woodland, guarantee a tranquillity that few places can still offer. La Montagnola provided its marble to Siena; here, it reserves its tranquillity.