Pieve of Corsignano

The parish church of Saints Vito and Modesto in Corsignano (known more simply as the parish church of Corsignano) is a Catholic place of worship located in the locality of the same name near Pienza. Its origins are very ancient and date back to the 7th century, even if the current appearance, in Romanesque style, can be dated to the 12th century. The parish church of Corsignano was one of the most important stops on one of the routes of the Via Francigena. An unmissable stop on your Pienza tours, this church remains slightly away from the town but it is really worth reaching it. Here you will find a simple and bare church, but filled with a breathtaking view of the surrounding nature, a true paradise of peace and quiet.

Inside, relatively bare, there are three naves each with an altar. The bell tower is the most impressive and particular element of the structure: cylindrical in shape, of typically Ravenna origin. Inside you can read the plaque commemorating Father De Rugeis and see the grate of the tabernacle on the wall. Here a mystical aura reigns also thanks to the poor lighting, if you want to meditate and pray this is the ideal place. Among the baptismal fonts that still remain in the Sienese territory, that of Pienza is one of the most notable. In this church, both Pope Pius II and his nephew Pope Pius III were baptized at the baptismal font.

Pieve of Corsignano

The Pieve is definitely more harmonious and decorated on the outside, in its richly decorated facades. The two doors of the church, the main one and the side one, are heavily decorated with Romanesque symbols (such as the decoration of intertwining and tendrils) and scenes from the New Testament.

Two curiosities are related to the Pieve di Corsignano: the first, of an esoteric nature, is that on the capital of the last column on the left you will find a representation of the snake Regulus. The serpent Regulus was in fact a Roman divinity still in use in the seventh century, or at the time of the construction of the Pieve di Corsignano. The second, of a cinematic nature is around here you will discover all the sites and sets that have made iconic the scenes of the film “The Gladiator” with Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott.