 It took the name Pienza from its most famous native son, Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini), who elevated the town to the status of a city ("civitas"), and established the new diocese.The diocese existed as an independent entity from 1462 to 1772, directly subject to the Holy See (Papacy).The architect chosen to carry out Pius II's plans to construct Pienza was Bernardo Rossellino.