San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
San Gimignano is located in Tuscany, about 40 km north-west of Siena. It is a medieval town with famous towers. These buildings make the town very unique and quite different from other places. For this reason, San Gimignano is sometimes called a medieval Manhattan. The town is visited by lots of tourists, because everyone wants to see this interesting architecture.
Parking in San Gimignano
The town offers a number of good car parks, one on the north side (1; GPS: 43.470965, 11.044916) and two on the south side (2; GPS: 43.462540, 11.041480 and 3; GPS: 43.464614, 11.041416). We chose the parking lot on the north side, then walked the alley next to the church of Sant'Agostino (A; GPS: 43.470755, 11.041886) from the thirteenth century, and Piazza S. Agostino (B; GPS: 43.470511, 11.041712).
Toward the center of the town
We shortly walked the street Via delle Romite, then we walked more important street Via San Matteo, which leads to the center of the village. In the distance we saw some characteristic towers. They were built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. At the beginning they played a function which could be called an "ultimate place of refuge". Let's remember that the times were uncertain and wars or attacks were frequent. However later, the towers building process has become something like a competition - rich citizens competed with each other, who makes a higher tower.
Piazza del Duomo
We reach the first interesting square - Piazza del Duomo (C; GPS: 43.467839, 11.043213). The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta di Siena from the twelfth century is located in this square, situated on the elevation with the stairs. Right next to the church there is an interesting town hall with a beautiful 54-meter tower Torre Grossa. There is the possibility of climbing the tower. In the square we can also find another three towers and interesting Palazzo Vecchio del Podesta from the twelfth century.
Parco della Rossa - an oasis of peace
Did you know that just nearby crowded streets and squares, practically in the very center of San Gimignano you can find a picturesque oasis of peace? From Piazza del Duomo just turn into the side street Via della Rocca and in a moment you are at the entrance to a nice park with lots of olive trees. This place was once a fortress, and now only its walls remain. This is the highest point of San Gimignano, so you have beautiful views of the surroundings and the town itself. It is really worth taking a break and coming here for a moment, leave behind the whole multilingual buzz of the town.
Piazza della Cisterna
We move from Piazza del Duomo to another square Piazza della Cisterna (D; GPS: 43.467439, 11.043773). We think that this is the most beautiful square in San Gimignano, surrounded by medieval towers and interesting buildings. In the middle of the square there is an octagonal travertine well (filled not with water but with coins) from the thirteenth century, from which it derives its name. At the end of Via del Castello we can see Palazzo Tortoli (E; GPS: 43.467810, 11.045493) from the fourteenth century. We go down the street Via San Giovanni until we reach the southern borders of this beautiful town (F; GPS: 43.464912, 11.042618). Next we return the same way to the northern parking lot. If you park from the south, your route will be reverse.
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