Holidays in san gimignano in province of siena

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Holidays in san gimignano in province of siena

Located in the province of Siena on the top of a high hill is home to about 7,500 inhabitants. For its characteristic medieval structure and the wonderful state of preservation of its historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Its look dates back to 1200-1300 when San Gimignano was an autonomous municipality emerging and booming. The struggles between the guelphs and the ghibellines damaged the walls several times until 1261 when, returned peace, the city took its current shape divided into four districts: Piazza, Castello, San Matteo and San Giovanni. Starting in 1300 San Gimignano witnessed a slow decline and a gradual marginalization and isolation from the more relevant city centers. This process has meant that the city could keep its medieval appearance almost completely untouched. Many artists have worked in San Gimignano, especially employed by the religious communities (Franciscans, Augustinians, Dominicans, Benedictines) stationed on its territory who wanted to beautify their possessions, leaving behind numerous works of value scattered in churches and parishes of the territory. Some examples of art find place in the Cathedral (or Duomo) whose three naves are entirely painted with images depicting St. Sebastian, the Old and New Testament and the Last Judgement. San Gimignano is renowned for the great number of medieval towers that still stand in its landscape making it recognizable even from a long distance. It is also known as the Manhattan of the Middle Ages because in the golden age the town had 72 towers, today there are 16. The oldest is Torre Rognosa while the highest is the Torre del Podestà, also called Torre Grossa, beside the Duomo is the only one open to the public. A reconstruction of San Gimignano in 1300 is visible in the art-historical museum built in the halls of the former Palace Gamucci. A Valued wine production of the territory is Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG to which is dedicated a specific area within the Wine Museum.|"San Gimignano"