One of the things that Tuscany is most well known for is its distinctive and stunning landscape which appeared prominently in the works of Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci. It might seem unusual but unsurprising, then, that Tuscany has its own Landscape Museum. Located in the city of Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the southern area of Chianti Classico near Siena, the Landscape Museum records, illustrates and celebrates the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. Find yourself a villa with pool in Castelnuovo Berardenga and you can explore this historic city and its unique landscape museum!
The name Berardenga comes from the Count Berardo, of Frank origins who lived in what would become the site of the town during the second half of the 10th century. Castelnuovo was built in 1366 as the "new castle" by Siena because of its strategic position on the border of the Sienese land, this same location now offers the same kinds of views which inhabit the landscape museum. The museum houses a large amount of documentation - written, illustrated and pictured - of the Sienese landscape and its history. In addition, it houses an archaeological section composed of findings from the area.
Housed in a late nineteenth century building, used in the past as a public slaughterhouse, the exhibition presents panels, graphic reconstructions, photographs, movies, and documents which present the visitor with images of the surrounding landscape. In particular, the museum highlights the changes in the world and the way in which they have been interpreted over time. Themes of sustainability, the humanized landscape, and its representation in art, literature and cinema are prominent and run throughout the exhibition. The museum offers guided tours (also in English), educational workshops, courses for adults and children, excursions and other events.
The Landscape Museum is the perfect place to add to your experience of the landscape of Tuscany, and Siena, in particular, and to get a comprehensive physical and historical geography of the area. It leaves you with a context for what you're seeing all around you and a greater understanding of the place, people and history.
The Landscape Museum is the perfect place to add to your experience of the landscape of Tuscany, and Siena, in particular, and to get a comprehensive physical and historical geography of the area. It leaves you with a context for what you're seeing all around you and a greater understanding of the place, people and history.
Photo credits
picture 1: Michal Osmenda / CC BY-SA 2.0;
picture 2: LigaDue / CC BY 3.0;
picture 3: Vignaccia76 / CC BY 3.0
picture 1: Michal Osmenda / CC BY-SA 2.0;
picture 2: LigaDue / CC BY 3.0;
picture 3: Vignaccia76 / CC BY 3.0
