An exquisite town that reflects the ideals of the humanist age, Pienza was changed by its most illustrious son, Aeneas Silvio Piccolomini, who, as Pope Pius II, decided to transform his birthplace into an ideal city.  In 1462 the pope changed its name to Pienza. The cathedral, the Palazzo Piccolomini and other structures around the Piazza Pio II attest to the vision of this Renaissance humanist.  The town was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1996. Pienza is also well known for its pecorino, a cheese made from the local sheep’s milk.