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Entering this hilltop town at the Porta al Prato gate, we followed the Corso to the top of the town. One of our pauses to let traffic go by was here at the medieval clock tower called the “Torre di Pulcinella”:
It is capped with a life-size character we would call “Punch,” poised to attack the bell on the hour:
The Corso is a steady climb. No wonder there are so many motorized vehicles!
Farther on, it was no surprise in this Catholic country to find another church. The Chiesa del Gesu was begun in 1691 and finished about 1730. The brick facade is not very attractive because it is missing its intended marble facing. The bricks are laid in such a way as to support the marble when it is applied. If that application is still to come, it’s been a long wait:
Obviously, priority went to the interior of the church, a beautiful Baroque design:
On a side altar, we again noticed the decorations resembling alfalfa sprouts:
Reaching the top of the Corso, we had a splendid view across prime wine country:
On our return, we eventually found the spacious Piazza Grande with the town hall on one side
and the Duomo on another:
... another edifice awaiting its final marble veneer.
Exiting Montepulciano where we entered, we were reminded once more of the picturesque area we were in:
