Archive for 'San Gimignano'

The small and picturesque town of San Gimignano is currently home to a very special exhibition of a work by Renaissance master, Filippino Lippi. Housed in the Pinacoteca di San Gimignano, or the Picture Gallery (Town Hall), the exhibition displays two tondos of scenes of the Annunciation. This show is a good chance to closely examine these masterpieces by the artist, set inside their restored original frames and alongside supporting documentation. Just find a holiday rental in San Gimignano and drop by the gallery to view the work.

The two tondos tell the story of the Annunciation, when the Virgin Mary was visited by the archangel Gabriel and informed that she had been chosen to be the mother of God's child. The first of the two round paintings features the Angel Gabriel, as he brings that astounding news to the Virgin.

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!