Sovana

There are just two main roads, which wind their way mysteriously through narrow passages and sudden openings onto sudden peninsulas of piazzas or overlooks from where you can look out for miles across.

In the municipality of Sorano, near Pitigliano in the province of Grosseto, there is a hamlet called Sovana.

Sovana is one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, whose Duomo is one of the most beautiful examples of Tuscan Romanesque in existence. The whole medieval village is actually made up of beautiful palaces and churches.
Crossed by the Via del Pretorio, you will find the ruins of the Fortress, the Palazzo dell Archivio, the Church of Santa Maria.

Adjacent to the church, around the mid-1500s, was built the Palazzo Dei Marchesi Bourbon del Monte, next to which we find the early Christian church of San Mamiliano.
All this concentration of history and architecture has its origins in Etruscan civilization, on whose foundations new constructions were built in later times.

In Piazza del Pretorio, in addition to a beautiful original pavement, you can admire the Palazzo del Pretorio on whose façade of 1200 you can see the Captains’ coats of arms of the Sienese people who ruled Sovana from the 1400s to the 1600s.

A great discovery related to Sovana was made in 2004 when during the restoration work of the Church of San Mamiliano.
A treasure composed of 498 gold coins dating back to the 5th century was found.

The place of discovery has been transformed into a museum, and even today, you can see the treasure in the place where it was found. The hamlet of Sovana is located in a territory with a high archaeological concentration. In fact, in the village’s surroundings, an Etruscan necropolis and several paths dug into the ground have been found.

The famous Cave Streets, the purpose of which is not yet known, are underground roads at great depths, even up to 25 meters. They were excavated by hand, and we can imagine with what efforts for the technical capabilities of the time a must-visit.

The necropolis also offers a very suggestive path that you can walk on foot to discover the different caves.

If you are on holiday in Punta Ala, we advise you to dedicate a day to visit these little-known villages that offer unique attractions all over the world.