City of san gimignano italy. Open left menu san gimignano
Proudly towering with its towers - symbols of power on the hill. The beauty of its stone streets and palaces attracts millions of tourists, San Gimignano included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The first mention of the city dates back to 929.
In the Middle Ages, San Gimignano was on the route of the pilgrims coming to Rome from England, and it was also a staging post between Pisa and Siena, which served as a solid basis for the growth and prosperity of the city.
It is curious that its name San Gimignano received on behalf of the holy bishop of Modena, who defended the settlement from the attacks of the barbarians.
In the XII century. San Gimignano continued to be an important city and commercial center. It grew, quarters appeared behind the wall: San Matteo. At this time, its unique appearance began to take shape, which has survived to this day.
In 1199 San Gimignano gained independence. At this time, battles took place between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. In the XIII century. San Gimignano under the rule of the Ghibellines, he found peace and economic prosperity. Agriculture began to develop, the cultivation of aromatic herbs, especially saffron, which was sold throughout Italy and to other countries. Thanks to stability and prosperity in San Gimignano an aristocratic stratum was born, which was engaged in government and politics. To show their wealth and power, the families built towers, so in the XIV century. There were 72 towers, of which 14 survived.
In 1255, San Gimignano was captured by the Guelphs, who ordered the destruction of the walls surrounding the city.
In 1261, San Gimignano regained its independence under the rule of the Ghibellines, who rebuilt and expanded the city walls. Now the city included four quarters: Piazza, Castello, San Matteo and San Giovanni.
On May 8, 1300, Dante Alighieri visited San Gimignano, he came as an ambassador from the League of Guelphs.
Crisis of the 14th century swept across San Gimignano, torn apart by numerous battles, mowed down by plague epidemics, the city lost most of its population and surrendered to the mercy of Florence.
Despite the economic and political decline, XIV-XV centuries. became centuries of art in San Gimignano, numerous artists and sculptures came here.
In the following centuries, San Gimignano played a secondary role, but this helped him to keep the medieval buildings almost untouched by time.
In 1860 San Gimignano became part of a united Italy.
At the end of the XIX century. began to discover the beauty and charm San Gimignano again. And in 1990 he was included in UNESCO.
During the Second World War San Gimignano damaged during the Allied bombing raids. The bell on the Torre Grossa tower was destroyed; after the war, the Soviet Union donated a new bell. In addition, houses on the central square and part of the Cathedral were damaged.
San Gimignano known for its medieval towers, it is often referred to as the "city of a hundred towers". In the Middle Ages, during the golden heyday, there were 72 tower-houses. By 1580, their number was reduced to 25. Now only 14 towers remain.
“These towers, most likely, served as defensive structures in the ongoing wars between warring clans. But also land prices were high, so high-rise buildings had to be erected. Although, this is a controversial hypothesis, because there were many wastelands in the cities. Another hypothesis is boasting and the desire to flaunt one's power, which are an indispensable attribute of the life of the noble class.
Performing a protective function, the tower served as a refuge for families and clans during times of unrest in the city. That is why it was considered a severe punishment to deprive the family of the tower or force it to be destroyed.
In a small San Gimignano the concentration of towers is so high that it creates the feeling of a little man among the skyscrapers. "Verticals of power" put pressure, but create a unique charm of the city.
San Gimignano.
In the historical center San Gimignano many restaurants, wine shops and shops of local products.
Tourism is one of the city's main sources of income. The second article is agriculture.
Above mentioned saffron, which is grown around the city, but more fame San Gimignano found as a city white wine - Vernacha di San Gimignano(Vernaccio di San Gimignano DOC).
July 25th, 2014
This small Italian medieval town is located in the famous province of Tuscany, 56 kilometers from Florence. The appearance of the town resembles medieval Manhattan.
Until 1353, for 150 years, San Gimignano was an independent prosperous city. And then, he was swallowed up by Florence. From that moment on, the city was dominated by two families: the Ardingelli and the Salvucci. It was they who staged the "race" for the title of the owner of the tallest house in the city. After all, then, high towers were a symbol of wealth and power. The competition consumed families so much that by the end of the 14th century there were 72 high-rise buildings in the city, some over 70 meters high. The race ended only after the introduction of a ban on the construction of buildings higher than the city palace. To date, only 14 of these "skyscrapers" have been preserved.
Let's learn more about the history of this town...
Where the small town of San Gimignano now stands, people settled in ancient times. According to archaeological data, the Etruscans became the first inhabitants of the hills dominating the valley of the Elsa River - their settlement on the site of the future city already existed at least in the 3rd century BC.
However, the "historical" period for San Gimignano begins only in the twenties of the 10th century. The first mention of the village, named after the holy Bishop Geminianus, who miraculously turned away the hordes of Huns from Modena, was a gift of King Hugh of Arles to the bishops of the city of Volterra.
Photo 4. 
San Gimignano was lucky with its location - near it, Via Francigena, the famous pilgrim road, and the tract that connected Siena and Pisa converged from north to south, from the English Canterbury to Rome. Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury, who walked along Via Francigena in the early 990s, testifies to "Sce Gemiane" - under this name the settlement appears in the chronicle - already as a "town". And in 998, the bishops enclose San Gimignano, in which by that time there was a castle and a small fortress with a market on the Montesaffoli hill, with stone walls.
Gradually growing stronger San Gimignano became crowded at the hands of the bishops. A small contado - the surrounding fertile hilly area, the rights to which were assigned to the city, gave a good income. In San Gimignano, where there was no nobility in the usual sense of the word, an influential layer of landowning merchants developed, who made a fortune in the trade in wine, olive oil and saffron and, which was unusual for those years, invested their profits back into agricultural production. It was from them that eminent city families later emerged.
Photo 5. 
By the middle of the 12th century, San Gimignano reached its peak. Trade relations of local merchants began to stretch from Pisa and Lucca to France, the Netherlands and even the Levant. In addition, wealthy city families began to lend money on interest, usually at a considerable percentage. So by the end of the 12th century, San Gimignano was already ready for independence from the Volterra lords, and in 1199 he received this independence, turning into a free city - a commune. Volterra itself, along with the neighboring Colle di Val d'Elsa and Poggibonsi, has since become one of the main rivals of San Gimignano.
The heyday of San Gimignano came at a time when a power struggle broke out in Italy between the Imperial House of Hohenstaufen and the Papal Throne. The population of the Apennines was divided into two camps - the Ghibellines who supported the emperor and the Guelphs, who sided with the pope. In San Gimignano, as in many other cities in the Apennines, this confrontation split the city in half. The Salvucci and Ardingelli families stood at the head of the warring parties in San Gimignano. The moneylenders of the Salvucci became the leaders of the urban Guelphs, and their irreconcilable, as often happened in Italy, enemies of the Ardingelli, merchants whose trade connections extended far beyond the borders of Italy, led the Ghibellines.
Photo 6. 
The feud between two "equally respected" families continued in San Gimignano for decades and determined its now well-recognized architectural silhouette. Both Salvucci and Ardingelli erected fortified towers in the city, which served both as a defense against enemies from a neighboring family and an opposing party, and as a demonstration of the power of their own family. Following the leading families, other eminent families also built their towers - in the heyday of San Gimignano, the number of towers exceeded seven dozen, fourteen have survived to this day.
However, the internecine feud of families and parties did not interfere with the financial and commercial activities of the inhabitants of the city. While Via Francigena passed through San Gimignano, visitors brought a lot of money to its inhabitants. However, this income has long ceased to be the main one for the townspeople, and when the pilgrims began to use other paths and their flow through San Gimignano decreased, the city did not become impoverished, on the contrary. During the thirteenth century, workshops and guilds were actively formed there - furriers, blacksmiths, carters, masons, barbers, judges, notaries and others. Thanks to the Crusades, not only selected merchants, but also financiers, moneylenders and money changers paved their way to the East. Especially many entrepreneurs from San Gimignano ended up in Syria.
Photo 7. 
The prosperous city tried to expand its small contado - mainly at the expense of the lands of neighbors and former lords, Volterra bishops. However, the location between two fires - continuously fighting throughout the 13th century, Siena and Florence - forced the San Gimignans to become involved in their conflict and enter into a military alliance with the Florentines.
However, the relationship of the parties in Italy in those years directly depended on which party - the Guelphs or the Ghibellines - would prevail in the cities, and they often replaced each other in power. In 1251, the Florentine Guelphs captured San Gimignano, which was then dominated by the Ghibelline group, and the city was in the power of the Guelphs for three years. But already after the Florentine-Siena battle that took place in 1260 at Montaperti, in which the Guelph Florence was defeated, the San Gimignan Ghibellines regained their former positions, and the city regained independence from the Florentines. However, the situation soon changed again in the opposite direction, only by the last third of the century an agreement was reached between the parties for some time, which allowed the San Jiminyans to begin active construction in the city and restore the city fortifications destroyed during recent conflicts.
Photo 8. 
But the end of the independence of tiny San Gimignano was just around the corner. The small republic became entangled in geopolitical intricacies, its trade ties weakened, and the powerful Florence, which began to collect Tuscany under its own hand, began to interfere more and more often in the affairs of the commune. The devastating epidemic of the Black Death, the bubonic plague, that swept across Italy in 1348 also contributed to the decline of the city. Both San Gimignano and its environs - the contado were depopulated - the disease claimed more than half of the population of the republic. And San Gimignano in 1352 recognizes the authority of the Florentines.
Despite the general decline of civil and economic life, the city has since begun to attract notable Florentine artists - Piero Polayolo, Benozzo Gozzoli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Sebastiano Mainardi bring art to the soil of San Gimignano, previously under the cultural influence, rather of the Sienese circle, art Florentine Quattrocento.
Photo 9. 
However, like many previously independent and proud Italian towns, which became the province of a stronger neighbor, historically San Gimignano fell asleep. Under the strong hand of the Florentine and then the great Tuscan dukes, he has since remained far from historical upheavals. The city lived with viticulture and the past. In the 17th century, its authorities adopted a unique document, "in the name of the greatness of the earth" ordering to take care of the preservation of its famous towers, and thanks to this, we now see in San Gimignano a unique example of what the Tuscan communes looked like in the era of the Guelph-Ghibelline civil strife. After all, the silhouettes of other cities were radically changed by the construction of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the tiny San Gimignano remained as it was six hundred years ago.
Now the eight-thousandth city lives in the same way as under the Volterra bishops - agriculture and visitors - only the place of the pilgrims heading to Rome along Via Francigena was occupied by tourists already on pilgrimages to San Gimignano itself, which was included in the World Heritage List in 1990 UNESCO.
Photo 10. 
The history of San Gimignano is inextricably linked with the history of the Cathedral.
Pope Eugene III, returning to Rome along Via Francigena, personally consecrated the Cathedral of San Gimignano in 1148. For several centuries, high-ranking church officials marked this cathedral with their special attention, so that the rector, canons (priests at the cathedral) and the city administration made every effort to give the basilica a magnificent appearance corresponding to this attention. In 1238, work began on the expansion and decoration of the cathedral, in which 600 of the most famous masters of that time took part. Here the days of the saints of the city were celebrated - St. Finns, St. Bartolo, St. Pierrot the Martyr, Blessed Chardo. A special altar was dedicated to Saint Gimignano, Bishop of Modena, a relic of the saint was kept in the cathedral, and every year on January 31, his day was celebrated especially solemnly.
Franciscan and Capuchin canons, Dominicans and Augustinians preached from the pulpit of this church, and Savonarola's passionate speeches sounded here in the 90s of the brilliant 15th century. As a sign of sinister discord, his harsh, tragic figure appeared on the political horizon of the Florentine Republic (at that time San Gimignano was already under its jurisdiction).
Photo 11. 
Lorenzo the Magnificent Medici - everyone knows! - is considered the patron of art, but the magnificent festivities and carnivals at his court were held against the background of the most severe tax policy - that's what not everyone knows. This angered the citizens. In addition, the surrender of Lorenzo's son Pietro Medici to the French troops of Charles VIII. The Dominican monk of one of the Florentine monasteries, Girolamo Savonarola, became the spokesman for the general irritation. His sermons, denouncing wealth and usury, attracted widespread public attention and served as an impetus for an uprising against the Medici in 1494. But he was more than the head of the rebels, and, in fact, did not strive to become the leader of the uprising. Savonarola strove for justice, as he imagined it, but with his sincere asceticism, with convictions that few could share, he was not suitable for secular rulers. By his order, paintings and musical instruments were burned in the squares, and this, in the end, seemed to ordinary citizens even wilder than the bliss of the Medici, who squeezed all the juice out of the taxpayers. Therefore, Savonarola was executed as a heretic 4 years after his sudden political rise, and everything returned to normal - only those who heard his sermons did not immediately forget this sharp, rebellious voice, as if the echo of his words still sounded under the arches of the cathedral.
Photo 12. 
It was the cathedral that was the center of the turbulent political life of the city, since the popes and cardinals took an active part in politics - sometimes excommunicating earthly rulers, then vice versa - turning to them for help to maintain their own power.
In the Cathedral of San Gimignano, various cardinals were rectors - the Romans Orsini (Giordano in 1146 and Napoleon in 1314), the Neapolitan Francesco Carbone in 1389, Francesco Soderini in 1495. Cardinal Baldassare Cossa served here, a rather striking political figure of the period of the great schism (i.e. the simultaneous existence of two or even three popes at the head of the Catholic Church) who was subsequently chosen by the antipope (taking the name of John XXIII) in 1410 and deposed by the Council of Constance in 1415.
At the end of the XIV - beginning of the XV centuries. as a result of the plague and severe famine, San Gimignano suffered a serious demographic crisis: the population decreased from 13 thousand to 3. In 1353, the heavily depopulated city entered the jurisdiction of the Florentine Republic. With the loss of independence, San Gimignano gradually becomes more and more provincial. It seemed to be mothballed in the Gothic era, and even during the Renaissance it seemed already somewhat old-fashioned. But it is precisely in this old-fashionedness that its main charm lies, because antiquity gives a special chic. And what San Gimignano is famous for, in addition to its unique architecture - the famous Vernaccia wine - also only benefits from old age.
Photo 13. 
In San Gimignano there is a tower called Torre Grassa, which means fat tower. In the XV century. it towered over a powerful pentagonal fortress, but in 1555 this fortress was destroyed by the Medici; only the tower was not damaged - obviously due to its thickness. If you climb this tower, you will see a landscape reminiscent of the backdrop of Tuscan Renaissance paintings. Peaceful, soft lines of hills, vineyards in a bluish fog…
Gray towers of the city, a series of old palazzos, small squares. And if you find yourself in San Gimignano at the end of June, you will see how the medieval crowd fills the narrow streets and the knights leave for Cistern Square. Every year, the association of the Cavaliers of St. Fina organizes the knightly tournament Giostra dei Bastoni (Stand Tournament) here. This colorful performance gathers huge crowds of spectators, much larger than similar events gathered in the Middle Ages.
The original center of the city is the beautiful Piazza della Cisterna (Water Tower Square). By the way, not only in San Gimignano, the water tower is honorably located in the center of the city and is considered its decoration. In Russia, in Vladimir, an old water tower is located next to the Golden Gates.
Nearby is Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square). The Cathedral of San Gimignano or Chiesa Collegiata is a famous monument of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany. It makes no sense to describe such ancient churches, just as it makes no sense to retell the verses. Many people - more than one generation of builders, artists, donors - have invested their mental and physical strength in the creation of this cathedral. But besides architecture, paintings, sculptures, there is also a unique spiritual experience of the church, which defies description, but makes the church what it is.
Photo 14. 
In the cathedral - frescoes by Bartolo di Fredi Barnaba of Siena. At the entrance to the central nave on the sides of the fresco "The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian" by Benozzo Gozzoli - two famous wooden sculptures by Jacopo della Quercia. Above the central nave is a fresco of the Last Judgment by Taddeo Bartolo. In the left nave is the famous chapel of St. Fina, built in 1468, with frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio. They depict two scenes: St. George predicts St. Finya her quick death, and the funeral of the saint. There is also a beautiful altarpiece by Benedetto di Maiano.
San Gimignano is full of museums: there is an art gallery, an ornithological museum, a Vernaccia wine museum, and, of course, a city museum. It is located in Palazzo Comunale or Palazzo Nuovo del Podesta. Like all buildings in San Gimignano, this palace was built many centuries ago: between 1288 and 1323. An internal staircase in the courtyard leads to the Hall of Dante with marvelous frescoes by Lippo Memmi. In the Pinacoteca there are paintings of the Sienese and Florentine school of the 13th-15th centuries: The Crucifixion by Coppo di Marcovaldi, triptychs by Nicolo Tegliachi and Taddeo di Bartolo, works by Guido da Siena, Benozzo Gozzolli, Filippino Lippi, Pinturicchio, Bartolo di Freddi, Neri di Bicci.
Not far from the Cathedral - everything is close here - the Church of St. Augustine, which combines the features of the Romanesque and Gothic styles. Its construction took 18 years under Cardinal Matteo Aquasparta (end of the 13th century). The church is decorated with frescoes from the 14th century. Benozzo Gozzoli and his student Francesco Florentino, dedicated to the life of St. Augustine, the work of Pier del Polayolo ("Madonna with Saints" in the main altar of 1483) and other creators of the Renaissance.
The Museum of Religious Art has a famous collection of wooden sculptures from the 14th century. In the Silver Hall there are liturgical utensils: bowls, bedspreads, carpets.
Here is the Etruscan Museum, a very interesting archaeological exhibition of local Etruscan and Roman finds. In addition to more common household and religious items, such as amphoras, vases, dishes, sacrificial bowls, necklaces, the museum has interesting Volterra-type funerary urns with a reclining figure of the deceased, who holds a coin in his hand - payment for transportation across the Death River.
Photo 18. 
But the most amazing museum in San Gimignano is the Museum of Medieval Criminology. Private. Call before visiting. The owners of such museums themselves are unusual people - immersed in science and in the past
No, you can't say that San Gimignano is a modern city, even when it hosts quite modern events - for example, an international cultural festival or an open film festival. Everything here is somehow unreal: either this city is a colossal decoration, or you yourself are guests from the future. It is hard to imagine that schoolchildren go to a modern school along these ancient streets. And the hotels here are a match: falling asleep on an endless bed in a gloomy bedroom of an old palazzo, you can’t guarantee that you will wake up in your native XXI.
Photo 19. 
How to get there:
Region: Tuscany
Distance: 60 km to Florence, 180 km to Rome
By train:
From the north: line Milano-Bologna-Firenze, Firenze-Empoli, Empoli-Siena;
line: Genova-Pisa, Pisa-Empoli, Empoli-Siena
From the south: line: Roma-Firenze (change at Chiusi/Chianciano Terme), Chiusi/Chianciano Terme-Siena, Siena-Empoli;
line: Roma-Pisa, Pisa-Empoli, Empoli-Siena
From Empoli or Fierenze to Poggibonsi station.
Further from the station: Bus number 130 to San Gimignano, goes about once an hour. Stops at the main gate.
Departs back from the stop across the road (near the parking lot and the carabinieri station).
By car:
From the north (from Milan): motorway A1 Milano-Roma (south) to FIRENZE CERTOSA; Superstrada Firenze-Siena to POGGIBONSI NORD
From the south (from Rome): motorway A1 Roma-Milano (north) to VALDICHIANA, then follow signs for Siena, then for Firenze until POGGIBONSI NORD
From the West (from Pisa): SGC FI-PI-LI to Pisa-Firenze to Empoli S.S. 429 to Certaldo
then follow the signs for San Gimignano
By bus: from Florence, from Siena
When I came across a similar picture of a fantastic city on a hill, bristling into the Tuscan sky with its towers, I immediately decided that I must definitely visit it. San Gimignano was supposed to be the highlight of the whole trip. After all, this is the last of the cities of Tuscany, where many medieval towers survived in their original form. And, as is often the case, too high expectations eventually led to some disappointment.
I won't delay answering. The main joint came out with planning. It was necessary to throw Pisa out of the route that day, in which I had already been, and instead spend the night in San Gimignano. Yes, the town is quite tiny, it's easy to get around in two hours. But we must not forget that San Gimignano is not only the notorious towers, but also several other excellent museums and churches. In general, because of this stupid rush, I didn’t really have time to see anything from the planned cultural program. And the most annoying thing is that there was not enough time to get to the neighboring hills to enjoy the view of this fantastic city from the side, and ideally meet the sunset with such a stunning picture. I even had to go for a forgery, and, I confess, the title photo was borrowed by me from the Internet. I was not destined to see such a beautiful view, this, I consider, is my main failure.
In addition to my oversight, San Gimignano also has an objective minus. It is extremely touristic in the worst sense of this epithet. Crowds of tourists literally form traffic jams on the main streets and squares, at every step all these magnets and other souvenir crap, we were also "lucky" to get to the Sunday market, so we also failed to see and photograph the main squares normally. Of course, all these problems would be partly solved if I arranged a lodging for the night here, but in the evening I think most of the same two or three hour quick-shooters like me disappeared. But, as the good soldier Schweik rightly noted: "If yes, then beans would grow in your mouth."
And the last thing that influenced my perception of San Gimignano was the "Siena factor". According to my previous reports, you already understood that I was delighted with this city, and I must say that I somehow burned out morally that day. I have not experienced such strong emotions as in Siena, in San Gimignano, after all, an overdose of impressions and beauty is one of the main dangers awaiting a traveler in Italy.
That's it, I spoke out, now a few words about the technical details of the trip. First, how to get to San Gimignano from.
There are several options:
1. Bus 130, in Siena departs from Piazza Gramsci, it's somewhere halfway from Campo and the train station.
2. Bus 131O from Siena with a change in Poggibonsi to bus 130.
3. By train from Siena to Poggibonsi with a change in Poggibonsi on bus 130.
The bus schedule can be found on the website:
http://www.busfox.com/timetable/
I made a mistake again and chose option 3, but there is little point in this, it is ideal - to match the direct bus, i.e. option 1.
Secondly, a tourist map of the sights of San Gimignano. By clicking on it you can download the full size of the map.
Well, it's time to go for a walk around San Gimignano. Buses unload tourists right at the gates of San Giovanni, impressive for such a small town.
All the houses on this street are occupied by the service of our simple tourist needs. In general, it is impossible to see normal local life here.
Church of San Francesco, early 13th century, not bad.
It is necessary to write a few on-duty phrases about the main local attraction - the towers. It's hard to say something better than Mr. Muratov, so let's turn to the authorities for a quote.
The towers are the pride and glory of San Gimignano. They make it a historical miracle, a dream come true about the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, about Dante, about the pious Frescanti of Sien. In the XIV century, they were built by a tiny city republic, built by local noble families. They still keep the old names, even now one of them is called the Salvucci tower and the other, after the implacable enemies of this family, the Ardingelli tower. In the same towers there were once and. There, time and the new needs of life destroyed them. They were preserved only by this small town, bypassed by the benefits and temptations of culture. He guarded these useless and strange structures, as if his best possession.
In the Middle Ages, there were more than 70 towers in the small San Gimignano! Now only 14 of them have survived, but even this modest number makes San Gimignano unique.
Yes, yes, souvenir shops at every turn, there is no getting away from it. And, there are definitely more of them than these same towers.
Torre Grossa, the tallest tower in San Gimignano, juts out in the background.
Church of the Quercecchio from the 16th century, now housing the Museum of Ornithology. I am extremely interested, does anyone in Italy go to similar museums?
The location near San Gimignano is simply fantastic, the city occupies the top of a three hundred meter hill. Therefore, there are constantly come across observation platforms on the surrounding valley. Here, for example, is the view from the fortress of Rocco di Montestaffoli, which protects the western part of the city.
The fortress houses the San Gimignano Wine Museum.
From the fortress itself, only ruins remained; a small park was laid out in its place.
Have you seen Suslikov? And they are!
The main church of San Gimignano is Santa Maria Assunta. Duomo would be wrong to call it, of course, there was no bishop in such a tiny town, it is a collegiate church. It became interesting to me what kind of status this church has, and I climbed into the wiki.
A Catholic collegiate church is an ecclesiastical community inhabited and governed by secular canons. Such a community should not be confused with the community of a monastic order, and the hostel of canons with a monastery. The secular canons of the collegiates live and serve God (including singing) together. Unlike monks, they own private property (including real estate), receive an annuity from the income of their church (they manage church property jointly), do not take solemn vows (except for celibacy for canons ordained subdeacons), and are free to leave the community at any time.
Those who watched "Tea with Mussolini", I think, immediately recognized that this is the same church, the frescoes of which were covered with sandbags to save them from the bombing.
As luck would have it, the entire area near the church was filled with local Cherkizon. It was not possible to really examine it, in addition, they still did not let me inside. Now, that was some real drama. Inside a huge number of masterpieces, it was very disappointing to miss all this.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collegiata_di_Santa_Maria_Assunta_(San_Gimignano)
In general, as I said, I did not work out with San Gimignano. In addition, I really wanted to have lunch, but I understood that then I would not have time for anything at all. My friend said that he did not care, lunch is sacred and sat down in a cafe. And I went on wandering alone, wandering is putting it mildly, it looked more like a run.
I decided to turn a little away from the crowded main streets and, as usual, just a couple of steps from the central square of San Gimignano, I found myself pleasantly deserted.
Mario, let's join the Communist Party!
The Church of Sant'Agostino is another mastsi in San Gimignano. Behind the simple appearance lies a cycle of beautiful frescoes by Gozzoli dedicated to the life of Blessed Augustine. I was not at all surprised and almost not upset when I stumbled upon the locked doors. You can look at the frescoes with interesting comments from Mr. Sibister, praise and honor to him:
http://sibeaster.livejournal.com/143887.html
For some reason, tourists do not have enough strength to walk an extra three hundred meters to the northernmost edge of San Gimignano, so the square near Sant'Agostino is completely deserted.
Church of San Pietro in Forliano. Also some surprisingly ancient, 13th century, it seems, and, not surprisingly, locked up.
Former monastery of Santa Chiara.
But today was clearly not my day, it turns out that I stepped in the direction where the sun was shining, it was unrealistic to really shoot the towers against the backdrop of the bright Tuscan sky. Here's the best photo I could take. In addition, on the way, I realized that while I was going to the nearest mountain, our bus would leave safely, so, having sipped my salty, I decided to go back.
But I got to the medieval fountain, where the whole city took water and / or did laundry, because. there was no river in San Gimignano, of course, the rivers somehow don’t really want to flow uphill.
The fountain was pleasantly cool and peaceful. There were no people at all. I came to my senses a little and calmed down. So, I'm not all lost yet. At a minimum, I can have time to go to the Palazzo Communale and climb Torre Grosse.
Through Porta delle Fonti I returned to San Gimignano.
Altitude and views, views everywhere!
There is almost no greenery on the central streets of cramped San Gimignano, so the locals set up impromptu gardens right on their balconies.
Or in some backyard.
Another observation deck overlooking the south side.
I returned to the central square of San Gimignano. The cursed market was finally closing down, but it was still impossible to rent the square for the time being.
Piazza della Cisterna. Under the square in the Middle Ages there was indeed a cistern with water reserves. As I understand it, now only a well in the center of the square remains from it.
So, I still managed to get into at least one museum in San Gimignano. It turned out to be the Palazzo Communale. Here is his patio. The museum has a small but worthy collection of paintings, a number of halls are decorated with frescoes. Which is nice, because Since the building is secular, many of the frescoes are of a non-religious nature and you can learn from them how people lived in this city in the 14-15 centuries.
What impressed me the most was the bedroom inside this palace. I, of course, to the best of my ability, understand what's what and all that. But I can’t say that I have made much progress in this. But I always study frescoes and paintings with great pleasure from the point of view of the plot. There is no need to be a great specialist. And in this regard, a pleasant surprise awaited me at the Palazzo Communal. More precisely, this did not come as a surprise, because. I prepared for the trip. But given the failures at the beginning of the walk, I was already ready that I could mix something up, and, say, the frescoes are in another building, or they will be under restoration or something like that.
But no, everything was in place. So, the promised medieval porn. It is amazing that the owner of the palace decided to decorate his bedroom with images of the advantages of a married life over a reckless bachelor life. Or maybe the wife of a local baron was the customer? To discourage her husband from going to prostitutes, I ordered such a nice gift for my hubby.
Let's take a look at what's shown here. On the right, the parents escort the young man into adulthood. His mother gives him a huge purse full of money. In the center it is shown with what benefit the dude decided to spend parental funds. Of course, he first went to a brothel. The prostitute's hand reaches into the boy's shorts ... But no, it turns out she climbed for the wallet. And on the left you can already see how the whores, having taken away the wallet, drive the poor fellow away, and even beat him with sticks on the path.
I don't fully understand the images below. On the left, some kind of BSDM with a whip and other domination, and on the right, a positive example is shown with a book. Apparently, the dude still took up his mind.
UPD The solution turned out to be even more shocking, thanks to M. for the tip. This is Aristotle being saddled and whipped, and this show is being spied on by a Macedonian voyeur!
According to a popular medieval legend, the outstanding philosopher of antiquity, Aristotle, inspired his student, Alexander the Great, with the idea of the perniciousness of his relationship with the courtesan Phyllida. Upon learning of this, Phyllida decided to take revenge by charming Aristotle himself, and when he fell in love with her unconsciously, she saddled the philosopher on horseback and whipped him, after informing Alexander that he could secretly watch this scene (he is depicted on the left with his wife).
Another plot of the lower register still does not have an unambiguous interpretation. According to one version, it depicts a scene from the cycle of legends about King Arthur: the Lady of the Lake Viviana seduces the wizard Merlin to master his magic and imprison him in an ice palace. According to another version, this is a plot from Dante's Divine Comedy (Hell, ch. V), according to which Paolo and Francesca read the story of Lancelot and Ginevra together, which led them to a love relationship, and eventually caused death at the hands of Francesca's deceived husband .
Exactly, the young man nevertheless returned to the path of virtue and decided to marry. It looks like a wedding scene.
And, behold, they are the joys of a married life. You can freely wash with your beloved in a large tub. It seems that the bathroom is cool, so the newlyweds do not take off their hats during a joint wash. Let's face it, the artist (Memmo di Filipuccio, I hear it for the first time) was not good at depicting boobs. Or maybe the wife-customer asked not to be too zealous here, you never know.
And, finally, a happy ending to the story, the newlyweds (without taking off their hats, which is typical) fit into their marriage bed. Quite a modern design of a blanket is interesting, such a checkered one can now be seen in IKEA.
So what do you think? I really wanted to get married after such creativity.
To see all the brides in San Gimignano at once, I climbed the Torre Grossa.
Unfortunately, I did not find any brides, but I looked at Cisterna Square from a height.
Such a little chaotic trip to the city of my dreams came out. But, I hope, despite my haste, you have got an idea of this unique place.
As for the answer to the question from the title of the story, it is difficult for me to unambiguously decide. Still, I had too little time and many subjective reasons why not everything went smoothly with the city. Perhaps you can say this and that. Indeed, crowds of tourists in such a small area of the city destroy the atmosphere of this place, on the other hand, the famous towers do not disappear from the number of people, and you will still see them and be amazed just like me.
San Gimignano is a small medieval walled city located 50 km southwest of Florence in the province of Siena, Tuscany, in north-central Italy. It is a symbol of centuries-old traditions that have remained virtually unchanged from the Middle Ages to the present day and are represented in numerous sights of the city.
Its amazing skyline is known worldwide for its towers and heritage of the past, the power of which is demonstrated in the impressive architecture of the city.
Between the II and III centuries. BC. the territory of San Gimignano was inhabited by the Etruscans, which is confirmed by the archaeological data stored in the city museum, and the official history of the city began around the 10th century, when a bishop named Saint Gimignano, who arrived from Modena, defended and saved the city from barbarian hordes. Since then, the city has taken the name of the bishop.
It flourished for about 1000 years, being a free place equipped with a safe ring of walls. San Gimignano received aristocratic nobles from the neighboring country who built their own towers that formed an urban settlement.
At the end of the XIII century. there were 72 towers, testifying to the prosperity of the urban aristocracy. In the distant past, during the struggle for supremacy between rival families, the loser's tower house was destined for demolition, and the winner's house was raised to even greater heights.
More than 70 towers were raised or demolished in accordance with the victories of some families and the defeats of others, and only a few managed to resist. Today, the remaining towers are concentrated in the residential center of the city between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Cisterna, halfway between the main entrance gates of Porta San Martino and Porta San Giovanni.
The surroundings of the city provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in pristine nature, where you can see deer and wild boars and feel yourself in the midst of the Middle Ages.
At that time, the road through San Gimignano was the Via Francigena (Road of the Franks), which was part of the pilgrimage route to Rome, as well as being a trade route for transporting local saffron to lucrative markets and serving as the main route for Tuscan merchants on their way to French fairs. .
After the development of shorter routes, the city lost its strategic position, but despite the decline in wealth, it still attracted such important artists of the late Renaissance as Domenico Ghirlandaio, Benozzo Gozzoli and Benedetto da Maiano, whose work can still be seen in local churches.
The main attractions of the city for tourists are 13 towers preserved from ancient times. Some of them are over 50 m high and seem to give shape to the sky.
San Gimignano (Italy) is a whole city included in the UNESCO list
But this is not the only attraction that attracts tourists from all over the world. The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiate Church and the Church of Sant'Agostino contain frescoes dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, and The historic center of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city is also famous for its saffron and the white wine "Vernaccia di San Gimignano", which is made from the ancient Vernaccia grape variety grown on the sandy slopes of the area.
A visit to San Gimignano offers guests of the city an amazing immersion in the past, confirmed by real historical evidence and of great interest not only for tourists, but also for local residents, as the Tuscans themselves often come here to enjoy the beautiful views and ancient architecture.
Climate
A unique history against the background of bright sunshine and good weather throughout the year are the main reasons why San Gimignano remains one of the best tourist destinations in Italy. It has a relatively mild climate in winter and even during the coldest winter weather in December and January daytime temperatures remain above 10°C.
The hottest period is from June to August, when the temperature rises to 31 ° C, however, despite the high temperature, it is tolerated quite easily.
The chance of rainfall at this time of the year is quite low, but increases in September, peaking from October to December, when showers can be expected at any time.
Despite this, many prefer to visit San Gimignano in October, as the rains are short and do not interfere with enjoying your stay in the city and exploring the surroundings, and the temperature at this time is about 20 ° C. When is the best time to visit San Gimignano? For many, this is the autumn-spring period.
The average daily temperature is:
| Period | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| °C | 5,2 | 6,2 | 8,7 | 12,1 | 16,4 | 20,3 | 23,2 | 22,9 | 19,6 | 14,8 | 9,7 | 6,1 |
Ecology
Some believe that the idyllic image of Tuscany is deceptive and hides a number of environmental problems. Environmental threats include a large incinerator near San Gimignano and pollution of the Merse River, once considered one of the cleanest rivers in all of Italy due to its remoteness from populated areas and factories. 
Now it has become clogged with waste from an old mine that was used to store toxic pyrite ash, a by-product of sulfuric acid, which has completely eliminated the otters, freshwater crabs, newts and trout that lived here.
Waste incineration plants and their proliferation in the region have become a cause of concern for the local branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature. Information about plans to quadruple an old incinerator near San Gimignano has angered local residents.
Population
The city has a population of 7,780 and a population density of 56 people per km².
Some interesting figures about the population of the city:
- men - 50.3%, women - 49.7%;
- from 0 to 17 years old - 14.6%;
- from 18 to 64 years old - 61.4%;
- over 65 years old - 24%;
- average age - 46.3;
- the number of foreigners - 9.2%;
Flora and fauna
Flora and fauna of San Gimignano are typical of Tuscany. Surrounded by mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, Tuscany has an amazingly diverse nature. In addition to the formed artificial landscapes, it is characterized by dense forests, swamps and Mediterranean machias.
In its vast territory, the vegetation alternates between vineyards and cornfields, impenetrable forests and impressive mountains. In addition to the famous cypresses, pines, oaks and chestnuts emphasize the landscape. 
The hot sun and long warm days contributed to the appearance of an amazing variety of wild animals in Tuscany. Tuscan national parks, nature reserves, mountains and vast woodlands provide a habitat for local wildlife to thrive.
In the depths of the Tuscan countryside, European animals can be found such as:
- hare;
- deer;
- porcupine;
- badger;
- Red fox;
- pheasant;
- wolf;
- boar.
Tuscany is also a great place for birdwatching and many interesting species can be seen throughout the region. Bird watchers should head to the mountains and swamps, home to bird species such as the tawny owl, heron and the rare glossy ibis.
How to get there
San Gimignano (Italy), whose sights attract tourists from all over the world, is located 56 km southwest of Florence in the province of Siena Tuscany and about 70 km from the western coast of Italy. To get to the city, it is recommended to take a bus or train from Siena or Florence to Poggibonsi. 
Regular buses run from Poggibonsi and in 20 minutes. you can find yourself in Piazzale del Martiri, not far from Porta San Giovanni. The bus fare is about 7 euros per person one way.
Transport
In the city center, you can easily move around on foot, as the main sights and places of interest are concentrated in the historical center. A suitable solution for getting around in San Gimignano and its surroundings can be a scooter or a bicycle. There is also public transport operating all year round.
Bus
Buses are a great way to get around the city from the center. The city has two city lines operating in the historic center area, both of which are owned by the city's municipality. Line 1 on the route Le Mosse - Santa Lucia Borgo is active all year round, including Sundays and public holidays. Opening hours on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from 08:25 to 19:25.
The second line runs from the car parks to the city center from March to the end of October. Thanks to the convenient platform, the buses are ideal for people with disabilities and reduced mobility. The ticket price for one trip is 0.75 €, and for 1 day - 1.50 €. Tickets can be purchased at no additional cost directly on the bus.
Automobile
Near the historic center there are three large parking lots with a total availability of more than 700 spaces. The Giubileo car park, located south of Piazza Duomo, is the largest and cheapest of the three and costs €1.50 per hour, up to a maximum of €6 per day. 
Other parking spaces are charged € 2.00 per parking hour. Jubileo is located about one kilometer from Piazza Duomo. You can easily find appropriate payment machines that accept cash and credit cards.
Bicycle and scooter
Not far from the car park in San Gimignano, there is an agency for booking bicycles, scooters and other vehicles with which you can explore the surroundings and enjoy the scenery while enjoying the fresh air.
Main Attractions
This small town is actually a dense collection of churches, houses, towers and medieval buildings, as well as picturesque alleys and narrow streets that make up the city's unique pattern.
There are four squares in the historic center of San Gimignano - Piazza del Duomo, Piazza Pecori, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Cisterna. Two main streets, Via San Giovanni and Via San Mattero, cross the city from north to south and converge in the center.
Along with the towers, San Gimignano offers visitors many interesting works of art and monuments. Here you can follow in the footsteps of Dante, walking through the streets of the city, looking at the magnificent frescoes and admiring the medieval towers that rise above the great city.
Religious buildings
San Gimignano (Italy), whose sights are represented by unique artifacts, keeps its treasures in cathedrals and churches:
- Collegiate Church, or Cathedral of San Gimignano, is located in the historic center in Piazza del Duomo and is one of the most important places in the city.
The cathedral, built in the traditional Tuscan Renaissance style, has kept unique artifacts of great artistic and religious value for many centuries. Currently, most of them have been transferred to the city museum for better preservation. Originally built as a parish church, the cathedral was consecrated in 1148. In 1238, work began on the expansion and decoration of the building, mainly because of the attention it received from various important dignitaries. Famous artists were invited to complete the cathedral's chapels, frescoes, friezes and paintings. The most exquisite part of the church is considered by many to be the chapel of St. Fina, built in 1468. The beautiful altar of the chapel was created by Benedetto da Maiano, and the frescoes, one of which depicts St. Gregorio telling St. Fina about her impending death, are by Domenico Ghirlandaio. The legend says that the young Fina Ciardi, born in San Gimignano, was stricken with a serious illness and, despite terrible physical suffering, chose to lie on a wooden oak board, where yellow violets bloomed after her death. Rumors spread in Tuscany that visiting the tomb had the miraculous power to heal the sick, and it became a place of pilgrimage and hope. - Church of Sant'Agostino is located on the northern tip of the old town near Porta San Matteo. Brick church without aisles, built between 1280 and 1298. in a simple Gothic style, has a far from simple interior. Inside the church, visitors can admire the frescoes on the walls of the chapel and the vaults painted by Sebastiano Mainardi, the beautiful terracotta floors created by the famous artist Andrea della Robbia and the Chapel di San Bartolo with an elaborate marble altar made by Benedetto da Maiano in 1494 and containing the remains of San Bartolo.
But the main reason for visiting this church is considered to be the magnificent cycle of frescoes of the 15th century, painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in the choir. Beautifully drawn in a lively narrative style, they depict in 19 scenes the life of Saint Augustine from childhood in North Africa to the vision of Saint Jerome and death. For art lovers, this church is one of the most important sights of San Gimignano. - San Jacopo is a small Romanesque church built by the Templars in the 13th century on their return from the First Crusade near the northern city gate of Porta San Jacopo, surrounded by olive trees. The arched lintel above the Pisan-style doorway bears the coat of arms of the Knights Templar, and inside contains a fine 14th-century fresco of the Crucifixion by Memo di Filippuccio. Like several other churches in San Gimignano, San Jacopo had a hospice for the poor and for pilgrims traveling to and from Rome along the Via Francigena. The unusual enclosed space above the city gate was a passageway for the nuns leading to the church.
Museums
San Gimignano (Italy), whose sights include many objects of great artistic value, offers visitors to the city a visit to various museums and galleries.
Civic Museum
Piazza del Duomo is home to the City Hall (also called the People's Palace or Palazzo Podestà), inside which is the Civic Museum, which houses works of art from Florence and Siena from the 13th to the 16th centuries. 
They are of great artistic value and were created by such artists as Lippo Memmi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Coppo di Marcovaldo, Filippino Lippi and others. This structure was founded and built in 1288 under the patronage of the government of San Gimignano.
In 1323 the City Hall was expanded and later became the seat of the municipality. The Civic Museum has been located on the upper floors of the town hall since 1852 and is represented by several halls, including the Dante Hall, the Hall of Secret Meetings, the Art Gallery and the Podestà Hall.
San Gimignano, 1300
Located in the heart of the city, the museum offers a large-scale reconstruction of the city that existed 700 years ago. Architects, historians and a team of artists have been working for almost 3 years to create this impressive and unprecedented exhibition, which includes 800 meticulously handcrafted structures, 72 towers, street scenes and figurines.
The miniature forms recreate scenes of medieval street life and show details of the city's architecture. Buildings and figures of people are created by hand from clay, marble and marble dust. 
Multimedia and other exhibits reveal the history of San Gimignano, its towers and the importance of Via Francigena.
Santa Chiara Museum (Archaeological Museum and Herbarium)
The former Santa Chiara Conservatory houses the Archaeological Museum and the Herbarium of Santa Fina. The latter is one of the most unusual museums in Tuscany, with more than 100 pieces of ceramics and glass from a 14th-century herbal apothecary. and the herbarium of Spedale di Santa Fina.
The adjoining Archaeological Museum displays Etruscan, Roman and medieval finds from the area, describing the techniques used to make glass and ceramics during different periods. The Etruscan collection comes from local necropolises and settlements from the 7th to the 1st centuries. BC.
Upstairs is the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, which hosts temporary art exhibitions.
natural attractions
Thanks to its hilltop location, San Gimignano is a great place to stop and admire not only the city itself, but also the view of the surrounding Tuscan hills. 
A visit to the Kanti area will be a great opportunity to explore the hills, countryside and vineyards. In the vicinity of San Gimignano is the natural reserve of Castelvecchio. It is a vast area, characterized by forests and Mediterranean shrubs, as well as the ruins of Castelvecchio, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the area.
Monuments
To truly experience the magic and amazing landscape of San Gimignano, it's worth climbing its tallest tower, Torre Grossa, which literally means "big tower" in Italian.
All towers in San Gimignano were and remain private property and are closed to the public, with the exception of this one, which is still part of the city hall and where government officials are still located. The towers dominate the city, giving it a unique profile and unforgettable grandeur.
In Piazza della Cisterna there are two Ardingelli towers, twin towers built in the 13th century. In the same square, next to the Cortesi Palace, there is also the Devil's Tower, which is famous for its ancient alley, where once there were craft workshops. 
The historic center of San Gimignano is surrounded by walls built in the 13th century, and on the highest point of the hill near the city walls is the castle of Rocca, built by the Florentines in 1353, but demolished in 1555 by order of Cosimo I.
Only the tower and fragments of the walls have survived, offering magnificent views of the city and its surroundings. Every year on the third weekend of June, the tournament La Giostra dei Bastoni is held here as part of the medieval festival Ferie delle Messi.
In a city shrouded in medieval history, it is interesting to see what life was like in the 1700s, long before the city lost its importance, but even centuries before its revival and UNESCO recognition.
The 18th-century palazzo, rebuilt from an earlier tower complex by a prosperous Florentine family, was a middle-class home and retains both the look and feel, with original furnishings and family collections.
Life in the palazzo is illustrated by a video projection, which also tells about the history of the city, its legends and traditions. The Palazzo includes one of the famous medieval towers of the city, in fact the only one that has retained its original internal form.
shopping
There are several places in San Gimignano where tourists can shop. There are quite a few small shops in the old area of the city where locals sell clothes, jewelry, furniture, pottery and many other artifacts. 
The city is mainly known for its olive oil, wine, dairy products and agricultural products, so San Gimignano is the best place to buy wine, olive oil and local cheese. The many vineyards in the hills around the city produce good quality grapes and the wines they sell here are considered some of the best in Italy.
Leisure
A visit to San Gimignano involves long walks, which in themselves are an active pastime. Here you can not only look at old buildings and museums, but also take part in one of the many cultural events, including the annual music festival.
There is always something happening in the city and tourists are always well taken care of here. Every year in June, San Gimignano celebrates the traditional harvest festival Ferie Messum, which has been held since 1255. At that time, the inhabitants of the 4 districts of the city took part in an event where they competed with each other in traditional games in honor of fertility.
People hoped to have a bountiful harvest through singing, dancing, and games such as tug of war, archery, and the competition of knights armed with sticks.
Today, the event is held on the third weekend of June, starting Friday evening through Saturday evening and all day Sunday. During these hours, the city takes a step back in time, plunging into a typical medieval and cheerful atmosphere, resurrecting the traditions of that time, which will surely appeal to lovers of history and outdoor activities.
Interesting places to stay with children
Children are very welcome in Italy and San Gimignano is no exception. There is something for them to see and do, combining relaxation, entertainment and sightseeing. The city, which keeps a centuries-old history and hides the legends and secrets of the Middle Ages behind every door, will not leave little travelers indifferent.
Some ideas for visiting museums that may be interesting for children:
After visiting the sights and exploring the surroundings of the city, a double portion of ice cream will be a great reward - it is said that here you can taste the best ice cream in the world in the famous Gelateria Dondoli, store.
Excursions
San Gimignano (Italy), whose sights are not limited to beautiful architecture and museums, can offer tourists not only an acquaintance with the history of the Middle Ages.
Walking tour of San Gimignano
The 2-hour walking tour of San Gimignano offers an exploration of the historic center of the city, during which an experienced guide will talk about the medieval towers that give the city such a distinctive look.
Tourists will have the opportunity to stroll through the medieval streets of this charming hill town, including the main street Via San Giovanni, lined with small shops of local products; admire beautiful views of the countryside, see impressive works of art from the Middle Ages to the present, and taste the local white wine called Vernaccia. 
It is also planned to visit Piazza Della Cisterna, an economic center surrounded by picturesque medieval houses and towers, and Cathedral Square, a political and religious center where you can see the town hall (Palazzo del Popolo) and the Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Assumption. The cost of the tour is $123.
Fiat 500 tour on the roads of Chianti from San Gimignano
This 7.5 hour tour gives tourists the opportunity to explore the Chianti region in a vintage Fiat 500, following the instructions of a guide.
This is one of the most scenic routes that passes through medieval villages, rolling hills and wineries, and includes a stop for lunch with wine tasting, which is included in the price of the tour. The cost of the tour is $98.
San Gimignano: two wineries and a castle
The tour lasts 3 hours and all activities take place near San Gimignano, in the heart of Tuscany, where the traditions and secrets of wine production are passed down from generation to generation. 
Tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy a walk, wine tasting and lunch with qualified staff at a prestigious Tuscan winery. This is followed by a visit to the Couson Castle and its historic cellars, usually closed to the public. The cost of the tour is $135.
Itinerary for exploring the city on your own in 1-2 days
San Gimignano has something to see even for the most sophisticated tourist - works of art, beautiful frescoes, churches, interesting museums and majestic towers. Here you can taste excellent food, wines, including the famous Vernaccia white wine, saffron and one of the best ice creams in Italy.
Most of San Gimignano's attractions are located near the main square, Piazza della Cisterna, so it can be taken as a starting point for exploring the city. The square is home to the award-winning Gelateria Dondoli ice cream shop, which has won regional, national and international awards for many years in a row. 
Heading north along the narrow street of Via San Matteo, where you can find shops with local products, you can reach Piazza del Duomo, surrounded on the east side by towers, among which Torre Rognosa stands out (the second tallest tower in the city).
The Cathedral of San Gimignano, also called the Collegiate Church, is located to the west. It looks quite plain from the outside and many travelers don't even go inside, although its fresco cycles and interior architecture are amazing.
Right next to the church is the Palazzo Comunale (Municipal Palace), which includes the Torre Grossa, the tallest tower in the city and the only one open to the public, and the Pinacoteca art museum.
Most people head straight for the tower, but if you have time, it's worth visiting the frescoed rooms at the Palazzo and the Pinacoteca, which house magnificent Florentine and Sienese art from the 13th to the 11th centuries. The ascent to the top of the Torre Grossa tower is via a modern staircase with a projector screen and mood music.
The total height of the tower is 54m and there are 218 steps to climb as there is no elevator. Once at the top, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the towers of San Gimignano, tiled roofs, narrow streets and the Tuscan countryside between Florence and Siena.
There is another great viewpoint of San Gimignano at Rocca di Montestaffoli, representing the ruins of a 14th-century castle and fortress. From its top you can see the towers, the rooftops of San Gimignano, as well as the Tuscan farms and vineyards. 
On your return, it is worth stopping by San Gimignano 1300 to see the view of the city in 1300 in miniature, with exact handmade copies of all 72 towers, cast from one ton of clay. Your next stop could be a visit to the Civic Museum complex in the former Santa Chiara Conservatory, which is three museums in one.
On the first floor there is the Ancient Herbal Pharmacy and the Archaeological Museum displaying Etruscan, Roman and Medieval art, and on the second floor the Museum of Modern Art.
If time permits, you can stop at the Museum of Torture, which not only has ancient instruments of torture, but also a large selection of medieval military weapons and replicas of many of Leonardo da Vinci's military vehicles, including a full-size tank.
Many prefer to end the day in one of the cafes or restaurants with a glass of the famous local white wine Vernaccia, enjoying the view of the city at night, as San Gimignano really is a magical sight in the moonlight.
Hotels
San Gimignano has a wide variety of comfortable hotels, as the sights of the city attract many tourists from all over Italy and abroad throughout the year.
There are several good B&Bs, luxury hotels in and around the city, as well as campsites outside the city. However, most people choose to stay in the city as the main tourist attractions, restaurants and shops are concentrated here.
Hotel Leon Bianco
Exuding the charm of a medieval palace, this elegant, family-run 3-star hotel welcomes guests to San Gimignano's main square, Piazza della Cisterna. Leon Bianco retains the warm atmosphere of an old residence: there are only 26 cozy rooms with spacious and comfortable bathrooms. 
Rooms are air-conditioned, there is free Wi-Fi and breakfast is included in the price. The hotel's panoramic stone terrace is the perfect place to relax under umbrellas, surrounded by green lemon trees, colorful flower vases and singing swallows, where breakfast is served from April to October.
The hotel staff can help organize tours, activities and tastings in Tuscany. The average room rate is $107.
Hotel L'Antico Pozzo
Beautifully restored historical building inside the city walls, with spacious and stylishly furnished rooms, air conditioning and free high speed internet, breakfast included.
Hotel Antico Pozzo is located on the central Via San Matteo, within the ancient walls of the medieval historic center of San Gimignano. This is a good place to enjoy San Gimignano from the front row. Clean, quiet and friendly hotel with 18 rooms with an average cost of $137.
La Cisterna
The hotel occupies an elegant 14th-century building. in the picturesque square of the same name in the center of San Gimignano. Decorated in Florentine style, the air-conditioned rooms feature a refrigerator, free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. 
Most of the rooms at La Cisterna overlook the square or the beautiful Tuscan countryside. A continental buffet and gluten-free breakfast is served daily. The average cost of rooms is $108.
What to bring as a souvenir
Many tourists prefer to take local wine and saffron home with them as souvenirs. These 2 points can even be included in the list of attractions of San Gimignano, as they are known far beyond the borders of Italy. The city is also famous for its handicrafts, including ceramics, gold jewelry and alabaster used in the manufacture of small souvenirs and lamps.
Article formatting: Mila Fridan
Video about the city of San Gimignano in Italy
Overview of the city of San Gimignano: