Archive for 'San Gimignano'

San Gimignano is a walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena in Tuscany. It is most well known for its many medieval tower houses, historic city centre and the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Picturesque, historic and quaint, it's probably the last place one would imagine hosts a Medieval Torture Museum. However, the museum is not merely a grisly and macabre tourist attraction but also an educational tool used to inform visitors about contemporary human rights abuses.

San Gimignano, also known as “Town of the Fine Towers”, is a village right out of a children's storybook, set on a hilltop in Tuscany. Famous for its medieval architecture, it is well-preserved and provides wonderful examples of Romanesque and Gothic secular and religious buildings. Its historic town centre is so highly regarded that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It makes for the perfect setting of an annual festival called the Ferie Delle Messi, or Ferie Messum. This medieval re-enactment of food, games, competitions and culture has been taking place since 1993 and celebrates the cavalier tradition and the Battle of Montaperti in 1260 and Capaldino in 1289.

The unusual triangular shape of Piazza della Cisterna is a striking feature of the tower filled Tuscan town of San Gimignano! It is slightly sloped and connected to another square called Piazza del Duomo in the town via an open passage.

Stay in a vacation rental in San Gimignano where you can easily explore this charming town for yourself!

Surrounded by beautifully preserved stone houses and medieval towers, Piazza della Cisterna is constructed of brick and acts as a central meeting and trading area in San Gimignano.

An ancient gateway entry to the town, the Arc of Becci enters Piazza della Cisterna from the southwest corner. It’s flanked by towers on both sides called the Torre dei Becci and the Torre dei Cugnanesi.

Tourists would delight in a visit to the marvellous medieval town of San Gimignano. Even from a distance, visitors will see that this walled hilltop town has something unique to offer! San Gimignano, in Tuscany’s Siena province is nicknamed ‘The Town of Fine Towers’. Today the town has managed to preserve fourteen of what was believed to have been originally 72 towers in total during the late medieval period!

Why not stay in a gorgeous villa in San Gimignano where you can visit the town itself and other attractions in this picturesque part of Tuscany!

San Gimignano is a small, medieval hill town in Siena Tuscany province of north-central Italy. The town is famous for white wine and tall medieval towers, which may be seen from several miles outside the town.

It was founded in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans. It was the stopping point for Catholic pilgrims on their way to Rome and Vatican during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period.

The patrician families of the town built 72 towers-houses as symbols of their wealth and power. Only 14 of these towers have survived the test of time.