Discover Civitella In Val Di Chiana

For travelers interested in culture, Civitella In Val Di Chiana brings together architectural landmarks, art, and local traditions. According to the municipal operating information updated on February 17, 2025, the Rocca is listed as accessible around the clock every day. In the town, points of interest range from gates in the medieval fortifications to a Romanesque church, as well as art and sites of remembrance. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, these different themes can offer a starting point for deciding whether architecture, art history, or more recent local history will be your main focus.

The Rocca and Medieval Buildings

Porta Aretina is a named gateway in Civitella’s medieval fortifications, whose circuit of walls features square towers. Porta Senese is another entrance to the Castello. At this gate is a 16th-century tabernacle with a polychrome Madonna and Child from the Robbiana school. The two gates therefore have distinct points of interest: Porta Aretina stands out for its place in the fortifications, while Porta Senese combines an entrance to the Castello with the tabernacle and its Madonna and Child. The church of Santa Maria offers a different architectural focus: it is a Romanesque building dating back to around the year 1000. The circuit of walls presents the fortifications as a unified architectural complex, while the named gates bring individual entrances and their distinctive details into focus.

Remembrance and Art

The Sala della Memoria in Civitella in Valdichiana was inaugurated in 2004 on the 60th anniversary of one of the bloodiest Nazi massacres in Italy. It displays objects recovered from victims and numerous photographs comparing the town before and after its destruction during the Second World War. Archival documents, historical research, and eyewitness accounts complement this collection of images and objects. Together, these elements combine vivid evidence with written, historical, and personal perspectives.

Civitella’s art collection comprises around 200 paintings. Another art attraction is the Civica Galleria d’Arte di Civitella in Val di Chiana, which displays works by artists who participated in the national painting competition Premio Città di Civitella. The competition was founded in 1964. While the approximate figure indicates the collection’s size, the artists’ participation in the competition places the works on display within a specific cultural context. The Sala delle Lance in the Museo del Sarapino displays locally made crafts, as well as the costumes worn by the participants and the accessories used for the Giostra del Sarapino.

Landscape and Local Tradition

The landscape and food culture are also part of Civitella’s character. Olive groves and vineyards stretch across the hilly and mountainous countryside around the town. Corolli di Civitella is a typical ring-shaped pastry from the area, made with flour, eggs, sugar, lard, yeast, and Vin Santo. Recipes may vary from one area to another. Its ring shape makes the pastry easy to recognize, while the recipe may differ regionally.

Discover more destinations: Badia Al Pino, Pieve A Maiano, Tegoleto, Ciggiano, Albergo, Corezzo, Poppi, Pratieghi.

For the broader travel overview: Arezzo.