Montepulciano historical timeline

Montepulciano's history is the history of a border town that backed the winning side.

1. from 1390 — Montepulciano becomes a loyal ally, and later a possession, of Florence. That is the decisive fact: this is a hill town in Siena's sphere that spent nearly two centuries as Florence's forward position, and Florentine money and Florentine architects followed.
2. 15th century — Michelozzo, architect to Cosimo de' Medici, designs the Palazzo Comunale on Piazza Grande. It deliberately echoes Florence's own town hall, in a square a few hours' ride from Siena.
3. 1518–1545 — Antonio da Sangallo the Elder designs and builds the Madonna di San Biagio below the walls: a free-standing Greek-cross church in travertine, and one of the most complete High Renaissance designs anywhere.
4. 16th century — Palazzo Tarugi goes up on Piazza Grande, attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola.
5. 1559 — Florence completes its conquest of Siena. Montepulciano's strategic importance diminishes immediately: a frontier fortress is worth nothing once the frontier moves. The town's great building period is effectively over.
6. 1594–1680 — the Duomo is built. It takes eighty-six years and its façade is never finished; the brick is still bare today, which is the clearest physical record of a town that had stopped being rich.
7. since the 14th century — the Bravio delle Botti has been run on the last Sunday of August: the town's contrade racing barrels uphill to Piazza Grande.
8. 1980 vintage — Vino Nobile di Montepulciano receives DOCG recognition: Sangiovese minimum 70%, at least two years' maturation from the 1 January following the harvest, with a Riserva needing at least three years including six months in bottle.
9. 31 December 2017 — the commune has 13,984 residents across 165.33 km², making it the largest of the five Tuscan hill towns in this group.