What is San Gimignano known for?

Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form “an unforgettable skyline”. The “Historic Centre of San Gimignano” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Is San Gimignano worth visiting?

San Gimignano and its surroundings are well worth a visit to enjoy both historical monuments and taste great wines. This town situated on the Via Francigena represents a pleasant stop for pilgrims directed to Rome in the Middle Ages and present visitors looking for ancient medieval towns in Tuscany.

What happened to the towers of San Gimignano?

At the peak of fashion San Gimignano boasted no less the 72 of them. Today only 15 remain. In 1348 the Plague devastated the city and it faded in obscurity, until it was rediscovered as tourist attraction in 19th century. The historic center of San Gimignano is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Why were towers built in San Gimignano?

‘San Gimignano delle belle Torri’ is in Tuscany, 56 km south of Florence. It served as an important relay point for pilgrims travelling to or from Rome on the Via Francigena. The patrician families who controlled the town built around 72 tower-houses (some as high as 50 m) as symbols of their wealth and power.

Where is the town of San Gimignano located?

/ 43.468; 11.042 San Gimignano ( Italian pronunciation: [san dʒimiɲˈɲaːno]) is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy.

When was the Cathedral of San Gimignano built?

A visit to San Gimignano doesn’t end by just looking upwards. The cathedral, completed in 1148, is also a must-see, considered one of Tuscany’s most precious.

Is there a movie about San Gimignano in Italy?

A fictionalised version of San Gimignano is featured in E. M. Forster ‘s 1905 novel, Where Angels Fear to Tread as Monteriano . Tea with Mussolini, a 1999 drama about the plight of English and American expatriate women in Italy during World War II, was filmed in part in San Gimignano.

Where is the shrine of Santa Fina in San Gimignano?

The Chapel of Santa Fina in the Collegiate Church houses her shrine and frescos by Ghirlandaio. The house said to be her home still stands in the town. On 8 May 1300, San Gimignano hosted Dante Alighieri in his role as ambassador of the Guelph League in Tuscany.