The heart of Massa Marittima is in Piazza Garibaldi. The modern Massetans have baptized the square after their hero Giuseppe Garibaldi: a perfect dedication given that the square also honors San Cerbone, a 6th-century saint who could speak to animals and who fled to Africa and commanded the popes in the same way in which Garibaldi commanded the kings. San Cerbone is buried in Massa, inside the Cathedral, which took four centuries to build and is undoubtedly the most beautiful church in the Maremma. It’s worth queuing to enter this cathedral: there’s something raw and medieval about the space despite its collection of Italian art treasures. The Palazzo del Podestà is located to the right of the cathedral. It dates back to the mid-13th century and bears the coats of arms of the Captains of Justice, noble citizens who carried out the functions of police captains in the Renaissance. Above the door to the right is a small stone sculpture of the she-wolf with twins, the Sienese version of the Roman Lupa Capitolina. The palace is now home to the Archaeological Museum of Massa. Further down, the town hall looks more like a fortress than the seat of the town council. The coat of arms belongs to the Medici, a reminder of how easy it was for Cosimo Medici to conquer Siena and all its territory in the 16th century. To the left of the square on Via della Libertà is the Fountain of Abundance. Under the arches of this building you can see the fresco of the Tree of Fertility. Its medieval artist must have had great fun painting a tree laden with fruit in the shape of phalluses. The fresco was intended to promote fertility in women who came to draw water from the source and it is a miracle that it survived the rigors of the Counter-Reformation. Via della Libertà is not only home to the best shops in Massa Marittima, but also its oldest buildings. The governor Pannocchieschi lived at number 11/15 in the 13th century. Saint Bernardino of Siena, remembered above all for his opposition to the lascivious customs of the 15th century, was born at number 63. Follow via Albizzeschi up to the Church of San Francesco, which is located within the gardens of a luxury hotel. Both the church and the monastery were founded by Saint Francis himself, or so the legend says, in 1220, and feature a Gothic style that reflected the austerity of all the religious buildings built in his name. The large, tall windows are the only ones in Massa Marittima during this period. Inside, the sparsely decorated nave represents St. Francis’ belief that the faithful should be able to see the altar clearly. After years of degradation and an earthquake, only the apse remains of the original church. The painting Jesus in Glory, the Virgin and Saint Cerbone by Raffaello Vanni,
dating back to the 17th century, it adorns the walls. Continue uphill towards the Porta di San Francesco, the best preserved arch in the city, built in 1377, which opens onto Piazza Matteotti, the military heart of Massa, and the Torre del Candeliere, which you can climb to avoid missing an incredible view. It is in the square
also the 15th century weapons building, originally used for the storage of weapons and
currently seat of the Museum of Art and History of Mines. Follow Corso A. Diaz up to the Church of Sant’Agostino. The apse is the most beautiful feature of this Gothic church, designed in 1350 by the same artist who designed Siena Cathedral. Inside, the bright windows give color to the otherwise bare and essential environment. The works conserved date mostly from the 17th century; the most beautiful piece is the Flight into Egypt by Lorenzo Lippi. Next door, the Church and Convent of San Pietro all’Orto houses the Museum of Sacred Art and the Museum of Mechanical Organs.