Walls and Gates of Massa Marittima

The city walls completely surrounded what we now call the historic center of Massa Marittima. Built starting in the 12th century and enlarged between the 13th and 14th centuries, they stretched for about 2000 m developing from the castle of Monteregio and included the churches of San Rocco and San Francesco.

When Siena conquered Massa Marittima decreeing the end of the Free Commune, part of the ring was destroyed. The original perimeter was thus reduced and a large part of the town was cut off. It was again the Sienese who decided to erect a second ring of walls 230 m long, with the aim of dividing and controlling the subjugated town more easily. The only section of wall that is currently passable is the latter and it is accessed from the Torre del Candeliere (Tower of Candlestick).

Many sections of the walls are still preserved, such as the one connecting the Former Convent of the Poor Clares to the Church of San Francesco.

Equally numerous and noteworthy are the medieval gates that delimit the city's “terzieri”, including Porta alle Silici and Porta San Bernardino. Each gate has its own story or anecdote to tell, including the one referring to San Bernardino, born in Massa Marittima in 1380, who on his way to Siena passed through the gate now dedicated to him and, to the people of Massa who begged him to stay, said, "If I don't come, I'll send the cloths"; a saying still in use today among the citizens of Massa Marittima.