SAN GIMIGNANO: THEY ALREADY HAD SKYSCRAPERS IN THE MIDDLE AGES!
They call it the “Manhattan of the Middle Ages”, and one glimpse of it rising above the Tuscan hills explains why. A walk among towers, lanes and squares that seem straight out of a fairy tale.
You approach from the Val d’Elsa and suddenly, on a hilltop, its outline appears: a crown of tall towers piercing the sky. It looks like New York’s skyline, seven hundred years ahead of its time. Welcome to San Gimignano, one of Italy’s most beautiful towns, whose medieval historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A competition to build higher
In its golden age, there were no fewer than seventy-two towers! The wealthiest families competed to build the tallest: the higher the tower, the greater their prestige. Fourteen remain today, but they are enough to leave you speechless. The tallest is the Torre Grossa, standing 54 metres high beside the Palazzo Comunale.
More than towers
Between its lanes, San Gimignano hides treasures to discover at your leisure. There is the Collegiata, a jewel of Tuscan Romanesque architecture dating from the twelfth century. There is the church of Sant’Agostino, the Loggia del Comune and the old Palazzo del Podestà. Every corner is perfect for a photograph — or simply for stopping to look around.
On foot, at your own pace
The best way to discover it? Walking at your own pace. You can begin in Piazza del Duomo and follow the lanes through the centre. There are slopes, old paving and stairs inside monuments: choose a route that suits you and check accessibility before your visit.
The nicest advice, though, is not to rush. Stop in front of a tower, step into a church, sit in a square and watch people passing by. San Gimignano is one of those places you grow to love gradually, one step at a time.
Before setting off: check monument opening times on the official municipal and tourism websites.
