Tuscany has some of the most beautiful stone buildings in the world. The stone buildings in Tuscany were constructed over many centuries with many different kinds of stone, often with stone reclaimed from previous structures. Although there is no single Tuscan style of masonry, many elements are common in buildings throughout the region. The most common types of stone used in Tuscany are limestones and sandstones that were quarried in the hills of the Tuscan countryside.
Buildings for the wealthier residents were more commonly built from limestones dressed into rectangular blocks, particularly if these walls were to be sturdy enough to provide protection during the repeated invasions of central Italy over the centuries. Country villas, away from the protected main cities such as Siena and Florence, commonly have a variety of irregular stone in the walls, although they usually have large rectangular quoins in the corners. Another common feature is the use of large terra cotta bricks, both in window and door surrounds and also mixed almost randomly into the wall.
