We travelled southwest from Siena to Massa Marittima by minivan. The trip should have taken about an hour and a half.

However it got very foggy and the driver had to slow to a crawl as visibility came close to zero. Except for me, the others are all from the UK and Ireland. The fog did not seem unusual to them.

We eventually got to the Museum of San Pietro all’Orto to see the Maestà by Ambrogio Lorenzetti

The very damaged Angel of the Annunciation by Sassetta, a Sienese painter during the first half of the 15th century, whose name was Stefano Giovanni di Consolo. No one is sure how he came to be known by Sassetta, a nickname which started to be applied in the 18th century.

The museum has a crucifix by Giovanni Pisano

The Cathedral of Massa Marittima—Romanesque on the bottom and Gothic, sometimes called Pisan Gothic on the top level.

Inside is a damaged Duccio Madonna.

The main piazza—not a tourist in sight

After lunch we travelled through the Val d’Orcia to the ruins of the Cappella di Monte Siepi, a Romanesque chapel built over the site of the hermitage of San Galgano

There are a number of stories about San Galgano. One is that as a rich young man leading a dissolute life, the Archangel Gabriel told him to reform and Galgano claimed that was as likely to happen as being able to put his sword into stone.

When Galgano’s sword went into the stone, he reformed himself and dedicated his life to peace. Some claim that Galgano’s story was the basis for the story of Galahad in Authurian legend.

The chapel housing the stone is a remarkable round room

with a round half dome.

Adjacent to the 12th century chapel is a 14th century chapel frescoed by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.

His annunciation and above, a Maestà which includes San Galgano on the far right

sinopia or the under drawings from frescoes are on the other walls along with a scene of San Galgano carrying his sword in the stone

Lorenzetti’s first version of the annunciation with Virgin Mary on the ground. He was made to change it because someone thought it was an indecorous pose.