Pienza - Diocesan Museum

To the right of the bishop's palace, with its facade looking on to the side wall of the cathedral, is the Casa dei Canónici, a palazzo in restrained Renaissance style built to house the Canons of Cathedral Chapter. It is now occupied by the Museo Diocesano di Arte Sacra, also known as the Museo della Cattedrale. Notable items in the collection are two copies, one of which belonged to Alessandro Piccolómini, the other to Pius II; the latter (14th century English work, with lively representations of scenes from the lives of Saints) was presented to Pius by Thomas Palaeologus, titular Despot of the Peloponnese.