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San Quirico d’Orcia

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Inhabitants in 1991: 2.389

The municipal territory of San Quirico d’Orca extends for 42,17 square kilometres between the plain and the hill which divides the valley of the river Tuoma from the Val d’Orcia. Frontier castle, then Vicariate Seat, then Marquisate, it was raised to community in 1777.

Inhabited probably from the Etruscan times, San Quirico is recorded for the first time in a document from 714 as village organised around the parish church of San Quirico in Osenna, font of long controversy between the Siena Diocese and that of Arezzo from whom it depended; in XI century it was partly feudal to the Count Ardengheschi family.

Between XI and XII century the castle, subjected to Imperial authority became the residence of a Vicar nominated by the Emperor; but, after alternating events which saw Siena in battle with Orvieto and Montepulciano for its possession, the Imperial domination of San Quirico was substituted by Siena (who already in 1180 had obtained the surrender of the rights from Imperial Arch-chancellor Cristiano di Magonza) and in 1262 made it Vicariate Seat; in 1385 Siena citizenship was accorded to the inhabitants.

In the course of the 1400s it was several times restored and its fortifications strengthened. During the war of Siena they declared themselves in favour of the hostile forces against the republic, even becoming the logistic base of the Ducal army and becoming definitive part of the Mediceo State in 1559. In 1667 San Quirico as Marquisate was conceded in feudal by Cosimo III to Cardinal Chigi, and remained with its family until 1749.

Places to visit:
Palazzo Chigi, erected at the end of the 1600s by Carlo Fontana for Cardinal Flavio Chigi. It suffered considerable damage during the second world war.
Ss Quirico e Giulietta, collegiate constructed on the place of a preceding parish church. It was remodelled in its present day aspect in XIII century and restored after the war. The interior preserves works of art.

Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Picture by Sandro Santioli
Translated by Ann Mountford


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