The Pienza Duomo stands on a site where the ancient parish church of Santa Maria used to be in Pope Pius II’s home village of Corsignano. The Duomo is conveniently located just next to the Palazzo Piccolomini, the residence of the Piccolomini family. Pienza was the first Tuscan town planned along Renaissance town planning concept and as such buildings like the duomo are important Italian Renaissance monuments. Some of the architectural elements were groundbreaking designs for its time.


The facade is travertine and in the centre of the gable is the papal regalia and the Piccolomini coat of arms – the cinque lune (a cross with five crescents). The tall belltower was seriously damaged during the 1545 earthquake and was repaired in 1570.