San Gimignano Things to Do Tips by croisbeauty Top 5 Page for this destination

Costarella

Torre Grossa is the highest tower of San Grimignano, 54 metres high, and the only one you can climb up. I didn't climb up because am not feeling very comfortable on such a high buildings. The best position to take the picture of entire tower is from Via Quercecchio. This part of the village is called Costarella.

Address: Via Quercecchio

San Augustino

The Gothic style church of Saint Augustine was built in the mid-13th century and has one nave only. Behind the very simple facade it houses important art tresure, part of the Italian heritage. The right chapel is a splendid Renaissance jewel designed by Benedetto da Maiano and frescoed by Sebastiano Mainardi. On the main altar there is a large tablet by Piero del Pollaiolo portraying The Coronation of the Virgin, a masterpiece of Firentine renaissance painting. Episodes from the life story of Saint Augustine, covering the choir walls, is fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli, famous Firentine painter.
Opposite to Saint Augustine there is small Romanesque Church of Saint Peter, mentioned in a bill by Honorius III.

Address: Piazza San Agostino

Porta San Matteo Porta San Matteo Review

The imposing Porta San Matteo is massive stone made construction which leads steeply downwards to the Public Fountains. As all other town gates, it has very characteristic construction on its top which served to defend the soldiers who guard the entranc in the town.

Address: The town walls

Chancery Arch

Chancery Arch is passageway in between Piazza del Duomo and Via San Matteo at the end of which stands the gate with the same name. The sides of the San Romano street are lined with imposing buildings, like Casa Torre Nomi-Pesciolini which, according to the legend, was the home of Desiderius, King of the Longobards.

Address: Via San Matteo

Chiesa di San Bartolo Chiesa di San Bartolo Review

San Bartolo is pretty little Romanesque church built in 1173, which still retains the Jerusalem Cross on its facade. The church is situated in Via San Matteo, right after passing the Chancery Arch. As the most churches built in the Romanesque style, it has very simple almost severe facade and small bell tower on the rooftop.

Address: Via San Matteo

Museo Civico Museo Civico Review

Most of the works in the rooms of the Civic Museum come from churches, conventc, and private collections, bear witness to an intense cultural life of San Gimignano, showing Sienese and Fiorentine influence on it. The works of many great artists of the age can be seen in the museum, like: Pier Francesco Fiorentino, Sebastiano Mainardi, Filippo Lippi, Federico and Lippo Memmi, Simone Martini, and many others.

Piazza del Duomo Piazza del Duomo Review

Piazza del Duomo is a square of exceptional beauty and full of valuable historic buildings. The monumental Palazzo della Podesta with Torre Rognosa stands stands right opposite to the cathedral, ex-oratorio di San Giovanni with "The Annunciation", the Renaissance masterpiece painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio, the remains of the ancient work from the Atelier of Lippo and Federico Memmi, and the Twin Towers closing the right side of the square.

Address: Piazza del Duomo

The Town Hall

Actually, the Town Hall is better known as Palazzo del Popolo completed in 1298 and later extended several times. Towards the bottom right of the building there is the balcony where the Podesta swore allegiance to statutes and spoke to the people. The courtyard of the palace is in particularly interesting and beautiful. There stands the well, as in all courtyards, due to the problem concerning the town's water supply, while the walls are decorated with coat's of arms and frescoes. The frescoes are works of the most prominent painters of the age like Sodoma and Taddeo di Bartolo.
The beautiful staircase leads to the Counsel Hall, which was once reserved for the exclusive use of the Capitano del Popolo. It is also called Dante's Hall, after Dante Alighieri who in 1300 warmly advocated San Gimignano's participation in the Guelph League in Toscana. In the hall you can see also precious 14th century frescoe "Maesta", painted by Lippo Memmi.

Address: Piazza del Duomo

Duomo Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta - Il Duomo Review

The Collegiate Church, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, was built in Romanesque style in the 11th century. The front facade of this three naves building is very simple, almost undecorated at all, but the interior is rich of numerous art treasures. Probably the most valuable are two wooden statues carved by Jacopo della Quercia, the Chapel of Saint Fina by Giuliano da Maiano which is the jewel of Renaissance art, and above all frescoe scenes from the New Testament which should be attributed to Simone Martini. This frescoes are considered a milestone of Italian Gothic art.

Address: Piazza del Duomo

Piazza della Cisterna Piazza della Cisterna Review

Piazza della Cisterna, "castrum vetus" is considered as the heart of San Gimignano. Once the square was called the Tavern Square, and was the place in which commerce and banking transactions took place. The whole square, like the rest of the town, is characterised by buildings in varying architectural styles. In the middle of the square is the well, built in 1237, which bears the coat of arms of the Podesta Guccio Malavolti. The furrows carved by the chains used to draw the water can still be seen on the well. The square is overlooking by the Devil's Tower, one of the oldest in town.

Address: Piazza della Cisterna