Di Chiara Pietrella
In the wake of an ancient and recent past, there is a charming Residenza d’Epoca where guests feel at home.
It happens, wandering through the villages of our beautiful Tuscany, to come across forgotten pieces of history. Yes, the very ones that in lands less rich in antiquity and traditions would drive tourists crazy as if they were rare and precious stones, and which, to us, seem so normal that we don’t pay much attention to them. In Sarteano this is the case of the “Pope’s House”, the palace where Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, born Pope Pius III (1439-1503), was born.
Perhaps because he remained on the papal throne for less than a month before dying (of illness or murdered? Who knows), perhaps because his uncle was better known than him, that Enea Silvio Piccolomini, also pontiff, who with the title of Pius II had given his name to the most famous town of “Pienza” (precisely) – the fact is that in the 50s and 60s of the last century no one cared much about his illustrious traces in Sarteano and, probably, only history buffs knew about his birthplace, those loyal vassals of the past considered by most to be dreamers, if not crazy retro visionaries.
At that time the building was simply the “Casa dell’Elena”, the lady of the bakery who made the best braided biscuits you could wish for, the place where she prepared bread and “ciaccia” living an existence that we like to imagine happy, with her husband and her three children. And they, of course, knew that Pius III was born there, if only for the marble plaque affixed above that beautiful and particular portal, but this was not a fact of great importance: it was a home, refuge and shelter for the family, and above all there was water, which was very rare for village houses in those days.
When the Pietrella brothers bought it, in 2017, it was still owned by Elena’s children, but no one had lived there for years, except for memories, many books and a million small and large objects that told a family story. And on the wave of a much more marked historical recovery than in previous decades, it had already become the “Pope’s House”.
“This place fascinated us and we immediately felt a magnificent energy”, say Chiara and Guido, who have created a small but enchanting accommodation facility that rightly enjoys the prestigious tourist title “Residenza d’Epoca”. The two brothers, born and raised in Sarteano in the 60s and 70s, wanted to invest in their birthplace, removing the veil from one of the many illustrious stories that are hidden in the streets of these villages: “We are convinced that our territory deserves to be discovered and rediscovered, not only for the evident beauty of nature, but also for the charm of his narratives”.
“In the cellars of the building, where we created the living and relaxation area – they continue – there was an arch filled in by a brick wall that the previous owners told us was a secret passage to the castle. Opening it was the first thing we did, finding a surprising cave that we preserved with a glass floor. Unfortunately, geologists have not allowed us to dig deeper. Too bad”.
Today Palazzo Pio III is one of the most elegant accommodation facilities in the area and in honour of the Pope who was born there, who was a patron and a man of boundless culture, it is furnished with antique pieces combined with modern design, as well as books in all languages and of all kinds available to guests. And to further enhance the beauty of the structure are the masterpieces of the Sarteano goldsmith artist Mauro Fastelli, fascinating works created by the fusion of several metals and materials that enrich the building in the form of a permanent art exhibition. But Mrs. Elena’s legacy has also been collected: Chiara in fact has a great passion for cooking, and it is she who spoils guests with delicious desserts for breakfast as well as with traditional (and not) dishes if they want a classy dinner served “tailor-made”.
Palazzo Pio III is an accommodation facility but can be visited by appointment.
Info: Palazzo Pio III, Via dei Goti n. 15, Sarteano (Si) / Tel 0578 778845 / 348 9016737 / www.pioiii.it / info@pioiii.it