Sala d’Arte San Giovanni
A small museum with many sacred art treasures in the heart of the Val d'Orcia
Val d’Orcia, a land of UNESCO heritage landscapes, is also the custodian of rare and valuable works of art. Castiglione d'Orcia is one of the gems of the valley of the same name that dominates the medieval village of Rocca d'Orcia from above. Its centuries-old walls are home to the Sala Arte San Giovanni, a museum that preserves the works created for Castiglione and Rocca d'Orcia by some of the main artists active between the 14th and 15th centuries.
Housed in the former oratory of San Giovanni Battista, the building has a single hall where the Baroque-style altar stands out. The Sala Arte San Giovanni houses three paintings depicting the Madonna and Child by unforgettable artists: the painter and illuminator Simone Martini, sometimes called Simone Senese; the painter, sculptor and goldsmith Lorenzo di Pietro known as il Vecchietta, and the painter Giovanni di Paolo who is among the most representative exponents of the Sienese school and placed particular emphasis on decorative beauty and elegance, aspects that are found in the paintings kept in the room.
The three masterpieces are joined by numerous liturgical furnishings that come from other churches and religious communities near Castiglione d'Orcia.
Accessibility information: regione.toscana.it
