Palazzo Comunale
At the top of Piazza Grande, the Palazzo Comunale rises in two distinct registers: a ground floor of dark burgundy stone, then travertine above, finished with Guelph battlements that give it the silhouette of a Florentine palazzo dropped onto a Tuscan hill town. That resemblance is not accidental. The building's facade was redesigned in 1440 by Michelozzo Michelozzi on the specific instruction of Cosimo de' Medici, who wanted Florence's civic confidence written into Montepulciano's skyline.
Today it still functions as the town hall, which means the ground floor is free to walk through and the 14th-century courtyard — with its old well, frescoed loggias, and scattered tombstones — sits quietly behind the main doors while the bureaucratic day carries on around it.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time the tower climb for late afternoon, when the light flattens across the Val d'Orcia and Pienza sits on its ridge like a shelf ornament. On a clear day the Siena towers are visible to the north and Lake Trasimeno glints to the east. The 67 stairs are narrow and worth every one.
The story behind Palazzo Comunale
The building's origins reach back to the 14th century, though what you see on the facade today was shaped by a single commission: on 16 October 1440, the comune engaged Michelozzo Michelozzi — then at the height of his practice — to redesign the exterior. The driving force behind the commission was Cosimo de' Medici, who at the time held significant influence over Montepulciano and wanted the town's civic architecture to reflect Florentine taste and authority.
Michelozzo's intervention continued into the 1460s, layering the travertine upper story and battlements over the older medieval core. The courtyard behind the facade was left largely as it had been — a quieter record of the building's pre-Medici life.
Good to know
Tower entry costs €5, terrace alone €2.50; open daily April through November, 10am to 6pm. Skip the tower on overcast days — the views are the whole point. Parking at P8 near the fortress puts you steps from Piazza Grande. Buses from Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station cover the 8-plus kilometres regularly.
May, June, September, and October are the most comfortable months, with temperatures between 20 and 27°C and the hilltop position providing a reliable breeze even when the valley below is warm. Winter is cold and occasionally wet, with January highs rarely reaching 9°C, though the piazza empties out and the town is almost entirely your own.
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What travellers say about Palazzo Comunale
Any Twilight fans MUST visit! So cool to see in person!
Beautiful place to visit
You absolutely must find the cat here! He's so cute! I've never seen this fur color before 💗 I followed him for ages. I wonder if he's a free-roaming cat. The weather is so cold.
Beautiful palace Breathtaking view The Christmas markets in the square are a joy of flavor and color A visit to the historic center of Montepulciano is recommended A tasting of platters with a glass of wine is a must 😃
Very nice
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