This country house with a 17th-century church is located in a dominating position among the hills of Crete Senesi, just a few km from Monteroni d’Arbia and Siena. The building (575 sqm) includes, aside from the church, two apartments for a total of 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and has been recently and tastefully restored. Outside, the building is surrounded by 2.0 hectares of land, covered in garden and woodland.
The country house is reached via a well maintained unpaved road and has all the services available in the nearby town (4km; 5’). The beautiful city of Siena is just 20 km from the property and can be reached by car in roughly twenty minutes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDINGS
The country house (575 sqm – 6,188 sqft) is laid over two floors and includes, aside from the beautiful church on the southeastern side, two independent apartments and some cellars.
The master apartment (305 sqm – 3,282 sqft) is laid over both floors. On the lower level one can enter the building via a cozy porch into a small entrance hall. From here one can enter the spacious living room on the left or, going straight ahead, the dining room with the kitchen. A staircase then leads to the upper level. Midway through the stairwell, a landing leads into a generous living area with bathroom, leading in turn to the first bedroom. At the top of the staircase, a reading room opens into another living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
The guest apartment (60 sqm – 646 sqft) is located on the northeastern side of the building, reached via a short external staircase. A small entrance room leads to the bathroom (on the left) and the kitchen right in front of the entrance door. The kitchen is connected to the living/dining room which in turn leads to the bedroom. The cellars (30 sqm – 323 sqft) are located just below the guest apartment.
The church (180 sqm – 1,937 sqft) is made up of a single nave with vaulted ceiling, fully restored, and embellished by three original altars (the main one dedicated to the Virgin, the other two respectively to the Apostles and St. Anthony).
STATE AND FINISHES
The building, dating back in its current shape to the 17th century, has been built over a pre-existing hermitage from the 14th century. Following a series of “miracles” attributed to the icon of the Virgin sheltered amidst the ruin of the hermitage, the archbishop of Siena allowed the owner of the land to build a shrine (completed in 1620) where the icon was later moved. Over the centuries, the fame of this sacred image grew and attracted important personalities from all over Europe (including Princess Violante Beatrix of Bavaria in 1719).
When religious orders were abolished in Tuscany (1785) the shrine ended up in the hand of a noble Sienese family that undertook the commitment of preserving both the building and what was inside them.
Nowadays, the country house keeps its original shape and has been fully restored to preserve its charm. While renovating, it was also decided to add a modern heating system, a video-surveillance system with alarm and a led lighting system all over the house.
EXTERIORS
The country house features roughly 2.0 hectares of land, landscaped into a well-maintained garden all around the building. The remaining areas are covered in mixed woodland. The location of the house on top of a hill ensures excellent sun exposure and a beautiful panoramic view over the surrounding hills of Crete Senesi.
Not far from the church, in a prviate location at the border with the woodland, is a 6 x 3.5 m swimming pool with an ipe (Handroanthus impetiginosus) sunbathing area.
USE AND POTENTIAL USES
The property, recently restored and readily available, is split in a way that leaves many possible routes open. The first one is to use it as a beautiful private home while keeping the smaller apartment available for the guests. Alternatively, the quiet location of the property, not far from the services and the most beautiful art cities of Tuscany, would allow easily rent the building out to tourists and vacationers.