Seggiano

A picturesque village with silver reflections

Located between the last hills of Monte Amiata and the Val d’Orcia, at the boundary between the provinces of Grosseto and Siena, Seggiano is a village rich in history, surrounded by olive trees, chestnut trees and watercourses. It is located at 491 meters above sea level, halfway between Monte Amiata and the valley. Just higher up, there the hamlet of Pescina, a small tourist village also famous for its fine restaurants.

This territory is known first of all for its olive oil: here is grown the Olivastra Seggianese, a special and precious “cultivar” (species); It is a a town filled with artistic and cultural heritage, and also rich in other foods and wine products.

Seggiano has a long history. Probably of Etruscan origin, in the Middle Ages it was first under the jurisdiction of the Abbey of San Salvatore, then developed as an autonomous community and in 1265 it passed under the government of Siena. With the fall of the Republic of Siena in 1559, Seggiano became part of the Medici domain, following its fate. The town has kept its medieval aspect and its rural origins. It’s easy to recognise the ancient walls with the three doors (Porta del Mercato, Porta degli Azzolini and Porta di San Gervasio).

Places of worship also reveal the link with this ancient past. First of all for the majesty of the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Carità, but also the Church of San Bartolomeo, the Oratory of San Rocco and the Church of Corpus Domini, where the relics of San Bernardino are kept. In the surrounding countryside, following the Valley of the olive trees, it is possible to see the Castello del Potentino, and a little further on are the ruins of the Convent of the Colombaio, an ancient monastic complex.

Lo cinge tutto all'intorno una vaga corona di grossi, vetusti e sempre verdi ulivi, sopra dei quali sembra si adagi come un nido di cupo verde a riflessi d'argento; sicché il suo aspetto esteriore non manca di sorprendere con vaga attrattiva di pittoresca bellezza (P. Alessandro da Seggiano).

If these buildings keep the link with the past, the Oil Museum and Daniel Spoerri’s Garden represent the link with innovation and art. The Oil Museum is particularly relevant for the combination of tradition and experimentation. Inside it, a unique one of a kind installation was created: an olive tree powered with aeroponic technology suspended with its roots on the cistern. A visit around the Garden of Daniel Spoerri is not to miss: an artistic park that extends for sixteen hectares and contains 113 installations.

The territory of Seggiano, as well as the whole of Monte Amiata, is also a great destination for winter sports lovers, but also for lovers of trekking and mountain biking. There are numerous paths that can be covered on foot, on horseback and by bicycle. For those who prefer fishing in Pescina, you can find a small lake for sport fishing.

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