The Chapel of Vitaleta: stone poetry in the Val d'Orcia
Isolated among the hills and surrounded by rows of cypress trees, the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta is one of the most iconic and photographed sights in the Val d'Orcia. Small and simple, yet capable of stirring emotions with its essential elegance, it has become a symbol of Tuscany throughout the world.
LUOGHI IMPERDIBILI
Alessio and Sonia
The Vitaleta Chapel is located along the road connecting San Quirico d'Orcia to Pienza, in a natural setting of breathtaking beauty. Its silhouette, framed by cypress trees, seems designed to blend in with the surrounding hills. Not surprisingly, it is one of the most popular spots for photographers and travelers from all over the world.
According to tradition, it was here that the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherdess, inviting her to build a chapel in her honor. The building we see today dates back to the 16th century and housed a statue of the Virgin attributed to Andrea della Robbia, now preserved in San Quirico d'Orcia.
✨ Curiosities about Vitaleta
Legend says that the Madonna of Vitaleta appeared to a young shepherdess on this very hill, showing where the chapel should be built.
Inside once stood a statue of the Virgin sculpted by Andrea della Robbia, now kept in the church of San Francesco in San Quirico d’Orcia.
Despite its small size, Vitaleta has become a true symbol of the Val d’Orcia — photographers from all over the world come here at sunrise or sunset to capture its golden light.
But the chapel’s greatest secret reveals itself in silence, when you hear nothing but the wind, the birds, and the heartbeat of the Tuscan countryside.
From Podere Grotta Antica, the Vitaleta Chapel is an unmissable stop for photography lovers and landscape seekers.
It’s about a 20-minute drive away and offers a changing spectacle throughout the day — pure poetry at dawn, a golden dream at sunset.