San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a jewel nestled in the Tuscan hills, close to the city of Florence. A town that has managed to maintain its medieval appearance and atmosphere it was once an important stop for  pilgrims who travelled to Rome though the Via Francigena. In the medieval period the town's controlling families built as many as 72 tower houses, a clear indication to the world of their wealth of power, and today 14 of these towers are still standing for visitors to see. A town filled to the brim with artistic masterpieces dating back to the 14th and 15th century, San Gimignano was named to UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 1990.

The Historic Center

San Gimignano's historic center holds four beautiful piazzas--the Piazza Duomo, Piazza Pecori, Piazza delle Erbe and the Piazza della Cisterna. The town's two main streets, Via San Giovanni and Via San Mattero, cross the town going north-south and intersect at the center. Along with the towers San Gimignano offers visitors a wealth of noteworthy art and monuments to discover.

San Gimignano - Ancient Square

The Towers

The towers of other cities of Italy, such as Florence or Bologna, have been destroyed due to natural catastrophes, wars, and urbanization. San Gimignano is one of the very few cities in Italy where fourteen medieval towers have been preserved. The international symbol of San Gimignano, these towers of varying heights are not to be missed.

From Dante's Hall (Alighieri visited the city in 1300) in the town center's palace it is possible to access the beautiful Majesty fresco created by Lippo Memmi. From this location visitors can also access the Torre Grossa or Torre del Podesta, built in 1311. Standing 54 meters high the Torre Grossa is one of the fourteen towers that visitors to the town can look forward to seeing.

San Gimignano - Medieval Towers

The San Gimignano 1300 Museum

For those interested in learning more about San Gimignano's history and architecture the 1300 Museum is not to be missed. In additional to housing a large collection of objects and artifacts that showcase the history of the city the museum also features a large reconstruction of the town, imagining what San Gimignano would have looked like in the 13th and the 14th centuries.

Front View of the Cathedral and Two Towers

The Duomo

The Collegiate Church, or the Duomo of San Gimignano, is located in the city's historic center and is one of the most important places in the town. Built in the traditional Tuscan Renaissance style the cathedral can be found in the Duomo Square. Important for both its artistic and religious value, much of the priceless art originally commissioned for the cathedral has been moved to the town's museum for better preservation.

Originally a parish church, the Duomo was consecrated in 1148. In 1238 work began on enhancing and embellishing the building, mainly because of the attention it had received from various important dignitaries. Famous artists were called in to complete the cathedral's chapels, frescoes, friezes and  paintings.

The interior of the Duomo features several beautiful frescoes, including the one by Bartolo di Fredi that can be seen to the left of the aisle and features various scenes from the Old Testatment. On the right side of the aisle is a fresco of the New Testament painted by La Bottega dei Memmi. The central nave features two beautiful wooden statues made by Jacopo della Quercia that flank Benozzo Gozzoli's fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Above the nave a fresco showing the Last Judgement, painted by Taddeo di Bartolo, can be seen.

Arguably the most exquisite part of the church is the Chapel of Saint Fina, which was constructed in 1468. The chapel's beautiful altar was created by Bendetto da Maiano and the frescoes, one of which depicts Saint Gregorio telling Saint Fina of her approaching death, were painted by none other than Domenico Ghirlandaio.

San Gimignano - Panorama Towards Saint Augustine - Photo Courtesy of MarkusMark/Wikimedia

Church of Saint Agostino

Visitors to San Gimignano will not want to miss the famous and important Church of Saint Agostino. The façade of the church is quite simple with a wooden framework for the roof. The door that can be seen on the main façade is not used as the entrance, instead the door on the right of the building is generally used by those entering the church. Inside there is a single nave and three apses.

The construction of the church began in 1280 and it was consecrated in 1298. The original architecture had a mixture of Gothic and Romanesque elements. The cloister and various other decorations were added in the 15th century. One of the most interesting aspects of the church is the Chapel of Blessed Bartolo, where the remains of the saint are kept in a marble monument created by Benedetto da Maiano in the 15th century.

Inside the church visitors can marvel at the frescoes on the walls of the chapel and vaults painted by Sebastiano Mainardi and the beautiful terracotta floors designed by the noted artist Andrea della Robbia. Not to be missed is the Madonna and the Saints artwork and the wooden crucifix, both of which date back to the 15th century, as well as the fresco of the life of Saint Agostino created by Gozzoli.

A short way from Florence and Siena visitors can find the medieval town of San Gimignano's whose city walls hold priceless glories of art and architecture. San Gimignano has something for everyone and visitors can imagine following in Dante's footsteps as they stroll through the streets of the town, gaze at the magnificient frescoes, and admire the medieval towers that reach high above the great city almost into forever.

Sunset in tuscany