The 16th century Church of San Biagio is the most beautiful of Montepulciano’s churches. Unlike the others, it lies outside the city walls. You can walk there but it looks a lot easier than it was. Firstly, it’s further than it looks and secondly, it’s hard to find an obvious walking path to the church. Maybe there’s one but we couldn’t find it. We walked some of the way then gave up and drove down the next day. There is plenty of free parking around the church so this was by far the easier option. We had overlooked this church on previous visits to Montepulciano, which was a mistake. It’s really, really lovely. Designed and built by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, a leading Renaissance architect, it took almost 50 years to complete. The first stone was laid in 1518 but it was not completed until after Sangallo’s death. Standing alone in an open, grassy meadow-like area and overlooking the surrounding Tuscan countryside, it couldn’t have a more picturesque setting. Depending on the light, the travertine facade can look golden or it can shift colour to a rich amber. The most striking feature is the large, green patinated dome (although this is best seen from a distance). The audio guide is included in the entry ticket. It’s quite good and because there’s almost no information inside the church (and none at all in English), we relied entirely on this. Inside, the highlights are an ancient 4th century fresco, “Madonna and Child with Saint Francis” (one of the very few remnants of the original church on this site) and the curious sound effect of the dome. If you stand on the marble circle, directly under the dome and clap, it will echo and re-echo 20 times. However anyone standing just outside the marble circle will only hear one, single clap. It’s a fun thing to test out. Despite the external grandeur, it is relatively small inside the temple so you don’t need very long to visit. COST: Entry is €3.50 (incl audio guide). There’s no need to book ahead. Tickets are sold at the small ticket office and gift shop which is not immediately obvious but can be found off to the right of the temple, down a small path. The toilets are also located here.

Located outside the city walls at a distance of 1 km, this 16th-century pilgrimage church is a real architectural gem of Montepulciano. Her beauties are revealed as you descend to her from the city. Built of light travertine, the church has the shape of a Greek cross. The large dome rests on a cylindrical drum. Two bell towers are not symmetrical, because one is unfinished. Compositionally, the church is built according to a centric plan, the model for which was the Tempietto temple built by Bramante inside the monastery of San Pietro in Montorio on the Roman Janiculum. The church has a rich interior. This is due to the fact that the construction was helped by Pope Leo X, who studied at one time with the court of Lorenzo de' Medici, the famous humanist Angelo Poliziano, a native of Montepulciano. Architect Antonio da Sangallo Sr. was able to work out everything. And the location of the church in an open field, and the magnificent interior.

We stopped by the Tempio di San Biagio after touring the old town. We were surprised by the traffic and difficulty to find street parking. The temple is absolutely worth visiting. The 15th and 16th century paintings are quite remarkable.