Val di Merse is one of the regions of the province of Siena, in Tuscany. It is located on the border with the Upper Maremma and it is renowned for its unspoilt nature. The territory comprises the area between the rivers Farma and Merse and it is covered in woods which hide medieval hamlets and castles. It is an area rich in waters known for their healing powers, such as the hot springs of Bagni di Petriolo.
Val di Merse is renowned for its nature and for the Abbey of San Galgano with its world-famous sword in the stone. The area has several beautiful villages, such as Monticiano, Chiusdino, Murlo and Sovicille.
Chiusdino is also on a hilltop overlooking both the valley of the river Merse and the Metalliferous Hills of the Maremma, home to the town of Massa Marittima. The village has the structure of a fortified castle and dates back to the 9th century. In Chiusdino you can visit the Church of San Martino, the Prepositura di San Michele next to the house where Saint Galgano was born and the church of the Compagnia di San Galgano where there is a beautiful bas-relief depicting the saint cutting the stone with his sword. Near Chiusdino the ancient castle of the Della Gherardesca Counts, the 11th century hamlet of Frosini, is well worth a visit and so are Luriano, Castelletto and the Montalcinello castle.
Murlo is a very old “castle-village”. The castle was built in the 12th century and it underwent remarkable changes in the 16th century after the end of the power of the Republic of Siena. Buildings of note include the Bishop’s Palace, which houses the Archeological Museum, the cathedral and the old prison.
It is located on a high hill which overlooks the wooded valley of the river Crevole. This part of the Val di Merse is on the border with the Val d’Arbia in the Crete Senesi area. From the village, visitors can enjoy the view over the valley of the river Ombrone up to the hill of Montalcino. Murlo is of Etruscan origin and remains of the Etruscan settlements were found at Poggio Civitate and Poggio Aguzzo.
Vescovado has the peculiarity of having been created by the fusion of the villages of Andica and Tinoni, still separated at the beginning of the 19th century. In the village church visitors can see a painting of the Madonna by Benvenuto di Giovanni (15th century).
Sovicille is approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Siena on the old via Maremmana, the road which linked Siena with the coast of the Maremma. This area has been inhabited since the Stone Age and archaeologists have found remains of prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman settlements. Sovicille and its surrounding area are rich in historic-artistic treasures: abbeys and Romanesque parish churches such as those of San Giusto a Balli, Pernina, Molli, Ponte allo Spino, San Lorenzo a Sovicille and Torri where visitors can admire the beautiful polychromatic cloister in the Abbey of Santa Mustiola (13th century). There are also some remarkable villas such as Villa Cetinale (17th century, designed by Carlo Fontana),Villa Celsa with its beautiful gardens and Villa Linari (18th century).
Read more about Val Di Merse: Museums