San Gimignano is a small city with about 7000 inhabitants in the province
of Siena. It is situated on a hill, surrounded by the lovely Tuscan countryside.
It became famous mainly through its extraordinary medieval architecture,
in particular its numerous medieval towers (12th – 14th century), which
have survived. They rise from the small houses visible in the distance,
and gave the city the nickname “Manhattan of Tuscany”. 15 of the
original 72 towers still dominate the almost unchanged, well preserved,
historic centre. The walled city can only be accessed by the medieval
city gates. Especially beautiful is the Porta San Giovanni, the main
gate, which dates back to the 13th century. Since 1990 the historic
centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The heart of the city beats on the Piazza della Cisterna – a beautiful
square surrounded by medieval palaces, in the middle of which an ancient
cistern is located. There are many small restaurants, where one can
enjoy the medieval atmosphere with good Italian food and drink. Of
course the local white wine , “Vernaccia di San Gimignano” and “the world
famous homemade ice” of the Galateria are a must when visiting here.
 On
the Palazzo del Duomo is the main church of the city, the Collegiate of
Santa Maria Assunta. The former cathedral was consecrated in 1148
and is famous for its beautiful frescos. Left of the church is the Palazzo
del Popolo with the “Torre Grossa” (13th century). It is the only
tower in San Gimignano which can be visited and climbed. The 54 m
high platform offers a spectacular view of the city and its surroundings.
The palace now serves as the  City
Hall and houses the well featured municipal museum.
In countless small shops, established in the medieval streets, one can
find a large selection of wines, specialities and a variety of arts and
crafts, the most beautiful being the ceramics, which are a perfect dream!
It is supposed that the origins of San Gemignano go back to the
3rd century BC when it was an Etruscan settlement. The first documented
mention, however, only dates back to the 10th cent. The name of the
city is said to come from the holy Bishop Geminianus of Modena, who is
said to have protected the city from the barbaric hordes in the 4th cent. |
