Campriano – Castellare, Church Art and Panoramic Views

Campriano is not merely a point in the Tuscan hill country, but a historically significant castellare on the ancient route between Siena and the Maremma. Reliable records of the place date back to 943. At the same time, Campriano was a village of free people connected to the nearby Via Francigena.

Getting there and the landscape around the village

The public minor road Via Vicinale di Campriano runs from the municipal boundary with Monteroni d’Arbia at the Stile stream to the Campriano locality and is 0.600 kilometres long. The journey from Siena to Campriano may involve 10 kilometres of gravel road on the SP34Bis along the panoramic ridges of the Crete Senesi. The route description therefore connects the village directly with a characteristic landscape route, without implying any specific travel time or road condition. Campriano lies at the confluence of two small streams. The larger one, the Stile, flows into the Arbia River near Buonconvento. The spring “i Pozzini” rises immediately below the buildings of Campriano and, according to traditional accounts, is still used. The spring “la Vena” is also, according to traditional accounts, still used and lies a very short distance from the village buildings.

Fortifications and church art

The surviving fortifications of Campriano include two levels of walls, a pentagonal upper level and the remains of two towers. Before its destruction in 1368, Campriano Castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times. This sequence makes the site tangible not only through its surviving stretches of wall, but also through its eventful history. Another cultural focal point is the Church of San Giovanni Battista. It has preserved a substantial part of its older structure. Inside are frescoes depicting the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary. The left altar preserves wall paintings from the late 16th century whose narrative tone recalls Ventura Salimbeni. Anyone combining a journey through Tuscany with smaller historic places and art away from the major city museums will find several clearly distinct themes here in one location: fortification, ecclesiastical architecture and painting.

Wine, olive oil and cycling

Campriano is a 350-hectare agricultural estate that produces wine and olive oil. Tastings are offered at Agriturismo Campriano. Thus, alongside its history, Tuscany’s agricultural side is also part of the local profile, without any specific accommodation features being implied. The “Strade Bianche” event for professional cyclists takes place on the access route to Campriano. “L’Eroica” for enthusiasts of historic cycling takes place on the same access route. Campriano is therefore connected with two different cycling traditions: professional racing on white gravel roads and historic cycling. From Campriano, there are sweeping panoramic views over the Crete Senesi, Val d’Orcia and Amiata as far as the profile of Chianti.

Other destinations in the same area

If you would like to compare other destinations, you will find [Monticiano](Monticiano), [Chiusdino](Chiusdino), [Bibbiano](Bibbiano), [Casole D'elsa](Casole D'elsa), [Radicofani](Radicofani), [Badiaccia A Montemuro](Badiaccia A Montemuro), [Castiglione D'orcia](Castiglione D'orcia) and [Taverne D'arbia](Taverne D'arbia).

To the higher-level travel overview: Siena.