Certosa di Pontignano
Place of meditation and art around Siena
The foundation of the Certosa di Pontignano, by Bindo Falcone, nephew of Cardinal Riccardo Petroni, took place around the mid-1300s in the territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Few traces remain of the primitive monastery as it was totally rebuilt in the second half of the 16th century after a fire destroyed much of it.
The complex has an almost rectangular floor plan and is divided into the three areas typical of monasteries in Certosa: the area destined for the monks with the twelve cells located around the large cloister, the area of the church and coenobitic rooms, and the area destined for the converts.
The church dedicated to San Pietro is located in the center of the monastic complex and is richly frescoed with stories of San Pietro, with also frescoes by the Florentine artist Bernardino Poccetti. Very beautiful is the wooden choir leaning against the walls with the twelve stalls made in 1590 by Domenico Atticciati.
Today the monastic complex is owned by the University of Siena and hosts study meetings, conferences and various kinds of events.
