{{Short description|Area of the Italian region of Tuscany}} {{Infobox valley|name=Crete Senesi|photo=Crete_Senesi_-_panoramio.jpg|photo_caption=Crete Senesi in Asciano|country=Italy|region=Tuscany|location=Province of Siena|district1=Asciano|district_type=''Comuni''|district2=Buonconvento|district3=Monteroni d'Arbia|district4=Rapolano Terme|district5=San Giovanni d'Asso|region_type=Region|map=Tuscany|map_caption=Crete Senesi are located within the Province of Siena.}}
The '''Crete Senesi''' refers to an area of the Italian region of Tuscany immediately to the south of Siena. It consists of a range of hills and woods among villages and includes the ''comuni'' of Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d'Arbia, Rapolano Terme and San Giovanni d'Asso, all within the province of Siena. They border to the north with the Chianti Senese area, to the east with Val di Chiana and to the south-west with Val d'Orcia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cretesenesi.com/en/where-we-are-p-_pages__9.html|title=Crete Senesi|website=www.cretesenesi.com|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref> Nearby is also the semi-arid area known as the Accona Desert.
''Crete Senesi'' are literally the "clays of Siena": the distinctive grey colouration of the soil gives the landscape an appearance often described as lunar. This characteristic clay, known as ''mattaione'', represents the sediments of the Pliocene sea which covered the area between 2.5 and 4.5 million years ago. The landscape is characterized by barren and gently undulating hills, solitary oaks and cypresses, isolated farms at the top of the heights, stretches of wood and ponds of rainwater (commonly referred as ''fontoni,'' literally "big springs") in the valleys''.'' Badlands and {{Interlanguage link|Biancane|lt=biancane|it|Biancane|WD=|italic=yes}} are typical conformations of the land. [[File:Crete Senesi Monte Oliveto.jpg|thumb|The monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore standing out in the hills.]] Perhaps the most notable edifice of this area is the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, located 10 km south of Asciano.
The region is known for its production of white truffles, and hosts a festival and a museum dedicated to the rare fungus (genus Tuber). {{Wide image|Crete_Senesi_-_panoramio_%282%29.jpg|800|Landscape of Crete Senesi in Asciano.}}
== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed"> File:In Val d'Orcia.jpg|Cereal crops are cultivated with the aid of irrigation File:Crete senesi presso asciano, 09.JPG|Crete Senesi in Asciano area File:Cretesenesi panorama.jpg|Panorama with ''fontoni'' File:Crete Senesi Calanchi.jpg|Badlands of Accona desert File:Crete Senesi Sunset - Saltafabbro, Asciano, Siena, Italy - July 4, 2010 01.jpg|Sunset in Saltafabbro, Asciano </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.cretesenesi.com/en/ Official website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060506055344/http://www.terresiena.it/page.asp?cat=cretesenesi&par=&id_codicearea=cs&lang=en Terre di Siena: Crete Senesi] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222021612/http://tuscany.podtravels.tv/category/siena/crete-senesi/ Videos of the Crete Senesi] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080706043709/http://www.borghiditoscana.net/eng/tuscany/siena/cretesenesi/index.html Crete Senesi Landscape]
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Category:Crete Senesi Category:Geography of Tuscany Category:Province of Siena
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