Pienza, Italy

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1405-64), who became Pope as Pius II in 1458. With the help of the architect Bernardo Rossellino he transformed the insignificant village of Corisgnano, in which he had been born, into a model town laid out on clear planning principles. Work began in 1459 and advanced so quickly that three years later, on August 13th 1462, Pius II was able to issue a Bull elevating his birthplace into a town and episcopal see named Pienza (after his Papal name). After Pius's death, however, the development of the town came to a halt.