Val d'Orcia

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Val d'Orcia


State Party = ITA
Type = Cultural
Criteria = iv, vi
ID = 1026
Region = Europe and North America
Year = 2004
Session = 28th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1026commons| Val d'OrciaThe Val d’Orcia, or Valdorcia, is a region of Tuscany, central Italy, which extends from the hills south of Siena to Monte Amiata. It is characterised by gentle, carefully-cultivated hills occasionally broken by gullies and by picturesque towns and villages such as Pienza (rebuilt as an “ideal town” in the 15th century under the patronage of Pope Pius II), Radicofani (home to the notorious brigand-hero Ghino di Tacco) and Montalcino (the Brunello di Montalcino is counted among the most prestigious of Italian wines). It is a landscape which has become familiar through its depiction in works of art from the Renaissance painting to the modern photograph.

In 2004 the Val d’Orcia was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites under these criteria:
* "Criterion (iv): The Val d’Orcia is an exceptional reflection of the way the landscape was re-written in Renaissance times to reflect the ideals of good governance and to create an aesthetically pleasing pictures."
* "Criterion (vi): The landscape of the Val d’Orcia was celebrated by painters from the Siennese School, which flourished during the Renaissance. Images of the Val d’Orcia, and particularly depictions of landscapes where people are depicted as living in harmony with nature, have come to be seen as icons of the Renaissance and have profoundly influenced the development of landscape thinking."

External links

* [http://www.parcodellavaldorcia.com/en/parcob.asp?/ Valdorcia Natural Park (Official page)]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1026 UNESCO World Heritage Centre :: Val d’Orcia]
* [http://www.borghiditoscana.net/eng/tuscany/siena/valdorcia/index.html Val d’Orcia Landscape]
* [http://search.pbase.com/search?q=val+d%27orcia&b=Search+Photos&c=sp Many of the the finest photos of Val d'Orcia)]
* [http://www.valdorcia-info.com/ Main sights of the Val d'Orcia]