San Quirico d'Orcia - Collegiata dei Santi Quirico e Giulitta

A church existed here since the 8th century. Today´s church was erected with the help of builders, who for sure know the "modern" Gothic style, but the building still has Romanesque parts like the western portal.

Here is the lintel and the tympanum of the portal. The sculpture in the center may be "Saint Quirico", some see "Saint Damasus", who was Pope for less than a month in 1048.

More interesting are the two evil dragons, who fight on the lintel. These winged creatures are not very common in Tuscany. Dragons like these can often be found in Bavaria (eg Straubing, Regensburg), so the design may have traveled south via the "Via Francigena", that passes through the village.

Above the fighting creatures is another devouring dragon and - n the right - two merpersons engaged in kissing.